Cost of Living Comparison Between Portugal and IndiaCost of Living Comparison Between Portugal and India
Monthly Cost of Living
๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,638 in Portugal versus $389 in India.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,407 in Portugal versus $618 in India.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,176 in Portugal versus $846 in India.
๐Living in Portugal is roughly 321% more expensive than India on average.
๐Portugal (22% above) and India (71% below) straddle the global median.
๐Internal cost variation is higher in Portugal: monthly costs span $1,043 to $2,441, compared to $270โ$887 in India. City choice carries more weight in Portugal.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Portugal
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.80โฌ10.07
$2.58โน243
357.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.9โฌ44.24
$14.07โน1,327
268.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.28โฌ7.92
$4.14โน390
124.15%
Cappuccino
$2.14โฌ1.82
$1.81โน170
18.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97โฌ1.68
$0.43โน40.65
358.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37โฌ1.17
$0.16โน15.39
756.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96โฌ2.53
$1.96โน185
51.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42โฌ2.92
$3.47โน328
-1.44%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Portugal
India
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06โฌ0.91
$0.72โน68.0
47.22%
White Bread(500g)
$1.57โฌ1.34
$0.49โน45.89
220.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62โฌ1.38
$0.67โน63.4
141.79%
Eggs
$3.14โฌ2.68
$0.99โน93.3
217.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.98โฌ10.22
$5.14โน485
133.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.62โฌ6.50
$3.20โน302
138.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.38โฌ12.27
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.29โฌ1.96
$2.21โน208
3.62%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51โฌ1.29
$0.70โน65.8
115.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.80โฌ1.54
$1.05โน98.6
71.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.51โฌ2.14
$0.53โน49.71
373.58%
Potato(1kg)
$1.69โฌ1.44
$0.43โน40.31
293.02%
Onion(1kg)
$1.92โฌ1.64
$0.49โน45.82
291.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.63โฌ1.39
$0.52โน48.87
213.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81โฌ0.69
$0.32โน30.60
153.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.34โฌ5.41
$4.13โน389
53.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.77โฌ4.92
$7.55โน712
-23.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31โฌ1.12
$1.82โน172
-28.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51โฌ2.14
$2.88โน272
-12.85%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$5.63โน531
-
๐ Getting Around
Portugal
India
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.26โฌ1.93
$0.34โน31.65
564.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.87โฌ39.98
$9.70โน915
383.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.93โฌ3.36
$0.97โน91.1
305.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.01โฌ0.86
$0.28โน26.08
260.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.18โฌ14.66
$1.70โน160
910.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.92โฌ1.64
$1.23โน116
56.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3Kโฌ29.3K
$13.7Kโน1.3M
149.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9Kโฌ34.0K
$23.0Kโน2.2M
73.22%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portugal
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$136โฌ116
$40.37โน3,806
235.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.19โฌ18.07
$3.90โน368
443.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.83โฌ36.53
$7.98โน752
436.72%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Portugal
India
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.53โฌ37.99
$16.26โน1,533
173.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.86โฌ14.38
$7.63โน719
120.97%
Cinema Ticket
$8.76โฌ7.48
$3.56โน335
146.07%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Portugal
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$508โฌ433
$70.8โน6,671
617.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.5Kโฌ10.6K
$1,810โน170.6K
589.00%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Portugal
India
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.3โฌ78.7
$24.95โน2,353
269.86%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.96โฌ33.23
$26.83โน2,530
45.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.5โฌ76.3
$45.39โน4,279
97.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105โฌ89.8
$33.38โน3,147
215.28%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Portugal
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,089โฌ929
$173โน16.3K
531.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$862โฌ735
$113โน10.7K
662.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,840โฌ1,569
$412โน38.9K
346.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,322โฌ1,128
$257โน24.3K
413.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,995โฌ3,408
$1,260โน118.8K
216.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,873โฌ2,451
$631โน59.5K
355.33%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Portugal
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,351โฌ1,152
$432โน40.7K
212.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.83
9.02
-46.45%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Portugal: April 28, 2026
Last update for India: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ National rent averages: $936 in Portugal, $127 in India. Capital cities: $1,604 in Lisbon vs $242 in Delhi.
๐ฐNational salary averages: $1,328 in Portugal, $401 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
โญRent is 637% higher in Portugal.
โญDining out costs 336% more in Portugal.
โญPublic transport is 356% more expensive in Portugal.
โญSalaries are 231% higher in Portugal, giving India stronger purchasing power.
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
Portugal vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Portugal?
At $579 per month in India and $1,742 in Portugal, there's a 201% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
India is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Portugal beats India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or Portugal?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Portugal, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or Portugal?
It depends on what you're after. India wins on affordability; Portugal may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.