Cost of Living Comparison Between Mindelo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Mindelo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $416 in Mindelo versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Mindelo versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,501 in Mindelo versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Mindelo costs roughly 81% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mindelo is 69% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 CVE 1,110

$15.91 €13.69

-26.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 CVE 5,516

$64.8 €55.7

-10.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$1.13 CVE 107

$2.87 €2.47

-60.63%

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

$1.07 CVE 102

$2.24 €1.93

-52.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 CVE 98.4

$1.50 €1.29

-30.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 CVE 333

$3.49 €3.00

0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CVE 173

$3.88 €3.34

-52.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CVE 145

$1.14 €0.98

34.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 CVE 107

$1.75 €1.51

-35.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 CVE 75.6

$1.76 €1.51

-54.55%

Eggs

$2.62 CVE 248

$3.22 €2.77

-18.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CVE 1,539

$13.49 €11.61

20.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.56 CVE 1,663

$15.87 €13.65

10.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 CVE 208

$2.31 €1.99

-5.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 CVE 187

$1.70 €1.46

15.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CVE 275

$2.01 €1.73

44.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 CVE 305

$2.46 €2.12

30.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 CVE 82.7

$1.84 €1.59

-52.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CVE 167

$2.00 €1.72

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 CVE 100

$1.93 €1.66

-45.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 CVE 73.5

$0.79 €0.68

-1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 CVE 490

$6.61 €5.68

-21.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.40 CVE 796

$5.72 €4.92

46.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CVE 191

$1.37 €1.17

47.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CVE 199

$2.97 €2.56

-29.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 CVE 43.09

$2.37 €2.04

-80.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.03 CVE 2,938

$45.56 €39.19

-31.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 CVE 150

$4.29 €3.69

-63.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CVE 132

$0.82 €0.70

69.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.53 CVE 997

$18.30 €15.74

-42.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 CVE 161

$2.06 €1.78

-17.48%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.18 CVE 301

$18.92 €16.28

-83.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 CVE 34.9K

$3,030 €2,607

-87.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 CVE 25.2K

$2,020 €1,738

-86.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Mindelo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $58.0 in Mindelo vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $269 per month, with Mindelo 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

Mindelo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mindelo and Lisbon differ by about 431% in total monthly costs ($416 vs $2,210 including rent). Mindelo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $624 in Mindelo and $3,315 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $416 per month in Mindelo versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 431% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $416 in Mindelo versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mindelo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mindelo 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, Mindelo and Lisbon 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 Mindelo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 431% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.