Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Vilagarcia de Arousa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Vilagarcia de Arousa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,170 in Vilagarcia de Arousa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,739 in Vilagarcia de Arousa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,309 in Vilagarcia de Arousa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 96% more expensive than in Vilagarcia de Arousa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Vilagarcia de Arousa is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.24

$9.04 €7.84

94.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.5

$39.64 €34.35

58.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.04

$9.19 €7.96

26.01%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.69

$1.87 €1.62

65.78%

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

$2.49 €2.16

$2.44 €2.12

2.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$1.63 €1.41

6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.02

$2.57 €2.23

35.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$3.41 €2.96

0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.07 €0.93

7.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.31 €1.14

45.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.78 €1.55

-15.73%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$3.03 €2.63

31.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.52

$6.77 €5.87

96.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$7.11 €6.16

12.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.64

$8.24 €7.14

118.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.70 €2.34

-12.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.78 €2.41

-37.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.55 €2.21

-27.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$2.34 €2.03

8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.21 €1.92

-16.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.66 €2.30

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.56 €1.35

-4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.78 €0.67

5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

$5.15 €4.46

37.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.12

$4.75 €4.12

24.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.15 €1.00

13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.11 €1.82

0.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

$1.65 €1.43

43.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.40

$19.52 €16.92

138.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$5.37 €4.65

-24.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.13 €0.98

0.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.81

$19.34 €16.76

-11.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.71 €1.48

35.09%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$36.5K €31.7K

-6.62%

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

$41.4K €35.9K

$30.0K €26.0K

37.75%

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

$169 €146

$154 €133

9.63%

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

$19.33 €16.75

$16.88 €14.62

14.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.04

$31.03 €26.89

7.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.32

$28.96 €25.10

68.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.84

$16.97 €14.71

14.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.29

$8.68 €7.52

10.25%

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

$696 €603

$277 €240

151.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$6,867 €5,951

152.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.3

$74.9 €65.0

40.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.38

$31.87 €27.62

49.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.1

$76.3 €66.1

31.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$133 €115

-6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,440

$548 €475

203.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,080

$348 €301

258.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,569

$818 €708

262.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,775

$526 €456

289.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,789

$1,505 €1,304

420.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,869

$887 €768

403.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,414

$2,334 €2,023

-30.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.77

0.27%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Vilagarcia de Arousa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $548 in Vilagarcia de Arousa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vilagarcia de Arousa pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $40.00 in Vilagarcia de Arousa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $223 per month, with Vilagarcia de Arousa 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 Vilagarcia de Arousa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Vilagarcia de Arousa differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,170 including rent). Vilagarcia de Arousa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Vilagarcia de Arousa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $548 in Vilagarcia de Arousa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $277 in Vilagarcia de Arousa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,170 in Vilagarcia de Arousa versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vilagarcia de Arousa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Vilagarcia de Arousa 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 Vilagarcia de Arousa 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 Vilagarcia de Arousa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.