Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $796 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,258 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,721 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

Living in Sao Joao da Boa Vista costs roughly 65% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Joao da Boa Vista is 41% below, Lisbon is 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 R$27.54

$15.73 €13.42

-64.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 R$135

$63.2 €53.9

-56.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 R$27.78

$10.32 €8.80

-45.83%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R$10.03

$2.81 €2.40

-28.11%

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

$1.20 R$5.96

$2.33 €1.99

-48.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.26

$1.51 €1.29

-43.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 R$10.55

$3.37 €2.87

-37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 R$13.03

$3.91 €3.34

-32.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 R$4.68

$1.08 €0.92

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$7.97

$1.75 €1.49

-8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.63

$1.75 €1.50

-24.00%

Eggs

$2.85 R$14.18

$3.10 €2.64

-8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 R$63.0

$13.28 €11.33

-4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 R$21.28

$7.85 €6.70

-45.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.71 R$43.28

$16.05 €13.69

-45.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.08

$2.39 €2.04

-32.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.22

$1.72 €1.47

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 R$10.57

$1.97 €1.68

8.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.02

$2.55 €2.17

-29.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.30

$1.79 €1.53

-29.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.18

$1.97 €1.68

-37.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R$5.19

$1.96 €1.67

-46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.34

$0.84 €0.71

-44.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.81

$6.82 €5.82

-68.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 R$29.42

$5.85 €4.99

1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 R$7.03

$1.38 €1.18

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$2.92 €2.49

-27.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.25

$2.29 €1.95

-62.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.76 R$188

$46.88 €39.99

-19.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 R$6.20

$4.12 €3.51

-69.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R$5.32

$0.81 €0.69

32.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 R$31.96

$18.94 €16.16

-66.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 R$3.91

$2.09 €1.78

-62.20%

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

$21.1K R$104.7K

$35.1K €30.0K

-40.01%

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

$28.4K R$141.1K

$39.7K €33.9K

-28.54%

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

$86.0 R$427

$150 €128

-42.53%

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

$11.85 R$58.9

$20.49 €17.48

-42.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 R$91.1

$39.15 €33.40

-53.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.53 R$112

$49.65 €42.35

-54.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.98 R$109

$18.47 €15.76

19.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 R$22.83

$9.20 €7.84

-50.11%

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

$285 R$1,418

$624 €533

-54.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,884 R$39.2K

$15.9K €13.6K

-50.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.82 R$228

$102 €87.2

-55.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 R$196

$40.88 €34.87

-3.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.48 R$196

$95.7 €81.6

-58.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.38 R$206

$121 €103

-65.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 R$1,597

$1,653 €1,410

-80.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 R$1,060

$1,233 €1,051

-82.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R$2,903

$3,043 €2,596

-80.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 R$2,174

$2,059 €1,756

-78.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,881 R$9,347

$7,879 €6,720

-76.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 R$5,954

$4,303 €3,671

-72.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 R$3,304

$1,566 €1,336

-57.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

214.96%

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

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: April 22, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 136% 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: $27 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $270 per month, with Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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

Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Lisbon differ by about 182% in total monthly costs ($796 vs $2,243 including rent). Sao Joao da Boa Vista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 136% less. 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: $321 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $285 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $624 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $796 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Joao da Boa Vista but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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, Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.