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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $949 in Vila Velha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,585 in Vila Velha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,221 in Vila Velha.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 139% more expensive than in Vila Velha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Vila Velha is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.19

$9.03 R$46.46

94.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.8

$39.32 R$202

64.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.08

$7.85 R$40.38

48.41%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.82

$2.38 R$12.26

36.97%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.39 R$7.16

79.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.45

$0.56 R$2.87

198.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €3.01

$1.97 R$10.15

76.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.10

$2.87 R$14.77

24.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.09 R$5.59

8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.59 R$8.19

22.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.91 R$9.81

-18.32%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.47

$2.28 R$11.71

75.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.49

$8.90 R$45.77

49.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.29

$4.46 R$22.96

88.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.78

$9.10 R$46.79

100.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.01

$1.95 R$10.02

18.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$0.99 R$5.11

74.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.18 R$6.09

63.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$1.27 R$6.51

107.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.25 R$6.43

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$1.35 R$6.94

56.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.25

$0.48 R$2.45

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.81 R$4.17

-1.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.07

$3.36 R$17.30

108.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.13

$8.82 R$45.36

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.69 R$8.70

-19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.86

$2.21 R$11.37

-2.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.06

$1.00 R$5.14

138.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €40.02

$51.5 R$265

-10.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.63

$1.41 R$7.24

197.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.86 R$4.43

27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.94

$12.89 R$66.3

33.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.95

$1.22 R$6.28

84.43%

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

$34.5K €29.8K

$32.7K R$168.0K

5.53%

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

$41.6K €36.0K

$32.9K R$169.1K

26.60%

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

$171 €148

$114 R$586

50.03%

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

$19.01 €16.45

$17.63 R$90.7

7.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.68

$15.20 R$78.2

125.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.98

$26.60 R$137

86.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.89

$26.81 R$138

-27.23%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.74

$6.93 R$35.66

45.74%

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

$699 €605

$422 R$2,173

65.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.4K

$14.5K R$74.4K

22.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.6

$77.6 R$399

34.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.53

$51.1 R$263

-6.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.2

$84.9 R$436

20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$75.6 R$389

69.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,438

$305 R$1,566

445.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,063

$245 R$1,262

400.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,524

$573 R$2,949

408.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,752

$550 R$2,830

267.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,037

$2,034 R$10.5K

299.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €4,013

$2,033 R$10.5K

128.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,402

$406 R$2,087

298.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

11.33

-66.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Vila Velha: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $305 in Vila Velha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 299% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Vila Velha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $195 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 139% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $949 including rent). Vila Velha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 299% 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $305 in Vila Velha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $422 in Vila Velha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $949 in Vila Velha versus $2,268 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 139% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.