✦ Cost of living
Lisbon
Lisbon, Portugal
US = 100
In plain terms: Lisbon is about 3% cheaper than a typical US city. A one-bedroom in the centre runs around $1,300/month.
▤ Category breakdown
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
- Housing118+18%
- Food & groceries92−8%
- Transport70−30%
- Utilities100−0%
- Healthcare75−25%
- Goods & services92−8%
Is Lisbon expensive?
Not really — Lisbon indexes at 97 against a US average of 100, so a month here lands within a few percent of a typical US city. Expect the surprises in individual lines rather than in the total.
Of the 87 cities we track, Lisbon ranks #54 by overall cost — 33 of them are cheaper.
What a month in Lisbon costs
One person
$2,520/mo
A one-bedroom outside the centre, modest everyday spending.
Couple
$3,620/mo
A one-bedroom in the centre, two adults sharing the bills.
Family of four
$6,280/mo
A three-bedroom in the centre, two adults and two children.
| Monthly line | One person | Couple | Family of four |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | $950 | $1,300 | $2,400 |
| Food & groceries | $420 | $620 | $1,030 |
| Transport | $420 | $620 | $1,040 |
| Utilities | $200 | $300 | $500 |
| Healthcare | $210 | $310 | $520 |
| Goods & services | $320 | $470 | $790 |
| Total per month | $2,520 | $3,620 | $6,280 |
Estimates, not quotes. Rent comes from this city's own figures; every other line is a US-average household basket (shaped by the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey) scaled by this city's category index. Your own total moves with the neighbourhood, your habits and whether you run a car. How we calculate these figures →
Good to know before you move to Lisbon
Sunny, hilly and the poster child for the digital-nomad wave — locals feel priced out as rents climb.
- Currency
- Euro (€ EUR)
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Time zone
- UTC+0
- Internet
- 200 Mbps
- English
- Fairly common
- Safety
- 68/100
- Climate
- ❄ 11°C · ☀ 23°C · 260 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- F · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Alfama · Príncipe Real · Alcântara
About
Sunny, hilly and the poster child for the digital-nomad wave — locals feel priced out as rents climb.
Lisbon became the poster child for the digital-nomad wave, and its cost of living now reflects that shift. Rents in central neighbourhoods have climbed sharply as remote workers and short-term lets compete with locals for a limited supply of flats. What was once one of Western Europe's great bargains is now merely mid-priced — still cheaper than Paris, London or Amsterdam, but the gap has narrowed fast.
Beyond rent, Lisbon still delivers value. Eating out is affordable by Western-European standards, the mild climate keeps heating bills low, and the city is compact and walkable. Portugal's D8 digital-nomad and D7 passive-income visas, together with tax incentives for some qualifying newcomers, add a practical pull for remote workers weighing a move.
The trade-offs are a tight housing market, local salaries that lag well behind the rising rents, and a growing sense that the nomad boom has priced out the very affordability that drew people in. For someone earning abroad and spending in Lisbon, though, the sums still work: sunshine, safety and a noticeably lower burn rate than most of Western Europe.
- Currency
- Euro · EUR
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Coordinates
- 38.72, -9.14
- Emergency
- 112
What things cost
Housing
Taxes
48%
Income tax
progressive
23%
VAT / sales
21%
Corporate
28%
Capital gains
$1,300
Avg net salary
per month
IFICI ('NHR 2.0') gives tax breaks to some skilled newcomers.
Visas & residency
D8 digital-nomad and D7 passive-income visas; a top relocation destination.
✈ Schengen 90/180 for many passports.
Remote workers.
Permanent residence after ~5 yrs. Citizenship after ~5 yrs.
Quality of life
Quality of life
75/100
Safety
68/100
Healthcare
76/100
Pollution
40/100
Internet
200 Mbps
Jan avg
+11 °C
Jul avg
+23 °C
Sunny days
260/yr
Walkability
82/100
Public transit
78/100
Family-friendly
66/100
Living there
- English spoken
- Moderate
- Expat community
- Large
- Coworking spaces
- 60
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
Popular areas
Relocation & documents
Where to look
Updated: · Sources: Cost/quality survey (placeholder) · Economy: World Bank Open Data (GDP per capita, life expectancy, inflation) · Minimum wage (EU + Türkiye): Eurostat earn_mw_cur, 2026-S2 · Taxes: national tax authority / OECD (headline figures)
Can you live in Lisbon without a car?
80/100
Car-free score
82/100
Walkability
78/100
Public transport
Yes — Lisbon scores 80/100 on our car-free score, so commuting, errands and nights out all work on foot or by public transport. Most residents here can skip car ownership entirely, and the savings go straight into the rest of the budget.
Transport in Lisbon indexes at 70 against a US average of 100 — about 30% cheaper than a typical US city. That line covers fares, fuel and running a vehicle, so it is the one that moves most when you drop the car.
Lisbon ranks #17 of 87 cities we track for walkability. See the most walkable cities →
The car-free score is our own composite: 60% walkability, 40% public transport, both on a 0–100 scale. Like the rest of our quality-of-life figures, they are calibrated estimates, not official statistics.
Cost of living in Lisbon — in your currency
- 1-bed rent, city centre$1,300
- 1-bed rent, outside centre$950
- Inexpensive meal$12
- Monthly transit pass$45
- Utilities (monthly)$120
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
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? Frequently asked questions
Is Lisbon, PT expensive to live in?
Lisbon, PT's cost-of-living index is 97 (US average = 100) — about 3% cheaper than a typical US city — and it ranks #54 of the 87 cities we track. On our estimates one person needs around $2,520 a month and a family of four around $6,280, rent included.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon, PT?
Lisbon, PT's cost-of-living index is 97 (US average = 100) — about 3% cheaper than a typical US city. A one-bedroom apartment in the centre costs around $1,300 per month.
What are the average living costs in Lisbon, PT?
Living costs in Lisbon, PT are about 3% cheaper than the US average — its cost-of-living index is 97 (US = 100). Monthly living expenses scale with that, and housing is the biggest line: a one-bedroom in the centre runs around $1,300. See the category breakdown above for where the money goes.
What is the average rent in Lisbon, PT?
A one-bedroom in the city centre averages about $1,300 per month, and around $950 outside the centre.
What taxes would I pay in Portugal?
Portugal has a top income-tax rate of 48% and a VAT or sales tax of 23%. See the taxes section above for the full breakdown.
What is the weather like in Lisbon, PT?
Lisbon, PT averages around +11 °C in January and +23 °C in July, with roughly 260 sunny days a year.
Is Lisbon, PT safe?
Lisbon, PT scores 68 out of 100 on our safety index, where higher means safer.
Can you live in Lisbon, PT without a car?
Lisbon, PT scores 80/100 on our car-free score — 82/100 for walkability and 78/100 for public transport. The higher the score, the more of daily life you can cover on foot or by transit instead of paying to run a car.
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Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.