Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Vila Velha Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Vila Velha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $854 in Vila Velha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,341 in Vila Velha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,828 in Vila Velha.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 168% more expensive than in Vila Velha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Vila Velha is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$6.21 R$31.62

160.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$28.69 R$146

120.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$7.11 R$36.18

45.15%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.68 R$8.57

68.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €2.01

$1.18 R$6.03

94.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.54 R$2.76

192.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.50 R$7.64

126.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.74 R$13.94

47.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.87 R$4.41

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.45 R$7.37

20.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.04 R$5.31

69.23%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.61 R$8.21

96.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$7.38 R$37.57

78.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.70 R$18.85

115.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$6.43 R$32.74

141.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.00 R$10.16

18.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.22 R$6.19

40.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.24 R$6.31

62.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.28 R$6.52

89.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.14 R$5.80

54.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.34 R$6.82

51.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.46 R$2.35

317.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.56 R$2.84

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.81 R$14.29

134.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$8.99 R$45.75

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.89 R$4.55

49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.29 R$11.68

29.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.82 R$4.19

178.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$53.8 R$274

-14.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.05 R$5.35

302.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.72 R$3.68

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$3.79 R$19.32

386.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.12 R$5.68

85.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.7K €30.4K

$25.3K R$129.0K

36.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.2K €34.3K

$32.6K R$166.2K

19.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 €130

$124 R$632

19.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.46 €17.92

$17.58 R$89.5

16.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$16.87 R$85.9

134.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$26.30 R$134

82.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$21.99 R$112

-15.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$5.54 R$28.23

66.43%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$616 €540

$413 R$2,103

49.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$6,533 R$33.3K

151.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$36.31 R$185

182.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$39.13 R$199

6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$54.1 R$275

75.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$65.8 R$335

85.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$297 R$1,513

449.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$217 R$1,107

466.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$519 R$2,644

496.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$479 R$2,438

324.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$2,043 R$10.4K

283.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$2,056 R$10.5K

113.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$400 R$2,035

302.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.38

-63.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Vila Velha: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $297 in Vila Velha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 302% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $29.00 in Vila Velha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $164 per month, with Vila Velha cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Vila Velha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Vila Velha differ by about 168% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $854 including rent). Vila Velha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 302% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $297 in Vila Velha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $413 in Vila Velha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $854 in Vila Velha versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Vila Velha but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Vila Velha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Vila Velha are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Vila Velha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 168% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.