Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Portugal Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Portugal

Name: Portugal
Address: PT

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,642 per month in Spain vs $1,627 in Portugal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,392 per month in Spain vs $2,402 in Portugal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,142 per month in Spain vs $3,177 in Portugal, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 1% higher than in Portugal on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Spain and Portugal are pricier than the global median – Spain by 23%, Portugal by 22%.

The regional cost range is wider in Spain ($1,122–$3,254) than in Portugal ($1,071–$2,330), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.06 €13.91

$11.44 €9.91

40.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.9 €49.24

$52.0 €45.05

9.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.92

$9.19 €7.96

12.08%

Cappuccino

$2.32 €2.01

$2.17 €1.88

6.91%

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

$2.60 €2.26

$2.05 €1.77

26.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.40 €1.21

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.97

$2.98 €2.58

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.44

$3.50 €3.04

13.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.10 €0.95

8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 €1.32

$1.57 €1.36

-3.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.66 €1.44

0.60%

Eggs

$2.98 €2.58

$3.16 €2.73

-5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 €12.49

$11.93 €10.33

20.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 €7.44

$7.85 €6.80

9.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.95 €13.81

$14.65 €12.68

8.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.30 €1.99

9.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.44 €1.25

43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.82 €1.57

12.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$2.58 €2.24

2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.69 €1.46

4.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.99 €1.73

-0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.60 €1.39

-15.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 €0.64

$0.81 €0.70

-8.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.27 €5.43

$6.54 €5.67

-4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.98

$5.72 €4.95

0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.32 €1.14

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.43 €2.10

-15.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.53

$2.37 €2.05

-25.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.49 €29.87

$46.49 €40.26

-25.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 €3.89

$4.09 €3.54

9.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.00 €0.87

32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.12 €23.48

$17.39 €15.06

55.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.56

$1.93 €1.67

-6.74%

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

$38.2K €33.1K

$34.1K €29.5K

12.20%

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

$30.8K €26.7K

$39.4K €34.2K

-21.89%

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

$149 €129

$133 €115

12.10%

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

$20.14 €17.44

$21.23 €18.38

-5.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 €29.01

$42.27 €36.61

-20.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.30 €40.10

$43.35 €37.54

6.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.61 €13.52

$16.41 €14.21

-4.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.40 €8.14

$8.74 €7.57

7.55%

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

$522 €452

$500 €433

4.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,880 €8,556

$12.3K €10.6K

-19.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 €76.3

$91.9 €79.6

-4.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.98 €31.16

$39.81 €34.47

-9.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 €77.1

$89.5 €77.5

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.6

$102 €88.7

5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 €900

$1,052 €911

-1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 €710

$856 €742

-4.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 €1,462

$1,816 €1,572

-7.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 €1,051

$1,323 €1,146

-8.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,301 €3,725

$3,995 €3,459

7.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,604 €2,255

$2,839 €2,459

-8.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,982 €1,716

$1,292 €1,119

53.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.51

4.83

-27.33%

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

Last update for Spain: July 27, 2026

Last update for Portugal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $938 in Portugal. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,561 in Madrid and $1,612 in Lisbon.

Average salary: $1,989 in Spain vs $1,294 in Portugal. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 10% more in Spain.

Public transport is 24% more expensive in Portugal.

Salaries are 54% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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

Spain vs Portugal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portugal is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 29% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Portugal, contributing to the overall 29% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Portugal, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Portugal is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.