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: $423 in Mindelo versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $954 in Mindelo versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,486 in Mindelo versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Mindelo costs roughly 82% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mindelo is 68% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.32 CVE 1,091

$16.19 €14.17

-30.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 CVE 5,529

$63.3 €55.4

-9.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

Cappuccino

$1.13 CVE 109

$2.83 €2.48

-60.07%

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

$1.02 CVE 98.8

$2.29 €2.00

-55.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CVE 99.4

$1.58 €1.38

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 CVE 324

$3.40 €2.98

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CVE 175

$4.03 €3.52

-55.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CVE 149

$1.09 €0.95

42.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 CVE 112

$1.75 €1.53

-33.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 CVE 77.7

$1.76 €1.54

-53.98%

Eggs

$2.72 CVE 262

$3.17 €2.77

-14.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 CVE 1,535

$13.19 €11.54

20.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 CVE 1,744

$15.53 €13.59

16.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 CVE 211

$2.37 €2.07

-7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 CVE 187

$1.71 €1.49

13.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CVE 289

$2.01 €1.76

49.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 CVE 306

$2.43 €2.13

30.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 CVE 82.4

$1.76 €1.54

-51.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CVE 162

$2.03 €1.78

-17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 CVE 104

$1.92 €1.68

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 CVE 71.5

$0.85 €0.74

-12.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.32 CVE 513

$6.58 €5.76

-19.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 CVE 803

$5.58 €4.88

49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CVE 186

$1.33 €1.17

45.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CVE 196

$2.97 €2.60

-31.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 CVE 44.48

$2.28 €1.99

-79.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.02 CVE 2,992

$45.79 €40.06

-32.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 CVE 150

$4.23 €3.70

-63.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CVE 140

$0.81 €0.71

80.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 CVE 1,015

$18.44 €16.13

-42.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 CVE 172

$2.08 €1.82

-14.42%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

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

$20.46 €17.90

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.15 CVE 304

$18.60 €16.27

-83.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 CVE 35.2K

$3,098 €2,711

-88.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 CVE 25.0K

$2,031 €1,777

-87.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $57.0 in Mindelo vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $267 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 442% in total monthly costs ($423 vs $2,291 including rent). Mindelo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $634 in Mindelo and $3,437 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 10% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $423 per month in Mindelo versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 442% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $423 in Mindelo versus $2,291 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 442% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.