What’s the cost of living in Lisbon, Portugal?

Lisbon is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and, people even frequently call it the new and fancy San Francisco. So, worldwide speaking, besides its beauty and friendly people, incredible weather and cuisine, Lisbon is also a quite an affordable city. In fact, it is one of the most affordable in Europe. Compared to other capitals it’s fair to say that it is around 46% cheaper than London or 38% cheaper than Paris.

So, if you are planning to settle, here are some highlights on the cost of living in Lisbon, Portugal.

Education and study costs are mainly funded by the government, allowing, for example, any expect to register their children into a state school free of charge. Though private or international schools are usually expensive, upwards of 6000€ per year. Universities are much cheaper than most EU countries, and it’s renowned for their quality, especially considering tech, marketing, and engineering areas.

Regarding the healthcare costs, you can expect 2 different approaches, the one which is provided by the national healthcare system, and for this, you’ll have to register yourself in the Portuguese Social Security, in order to have access to many treatments for free or at a much lower cost than the private healthcare system. This second scenario is frequently expensive but it will always depend on your healthcare provider’s choice. Making a quick comparison between the public and private healthcare systems:

Regarding taxes and social security and taking into account your monthly income, you’ll have to pay approximately:

• €0.00 – €7,112: 14.5%
• €7,112 – €10,732: 23%
• €10,732 – €20,322: 28.5%
• €20,322 – €25,075: 35%
• €25,075 – €36,967: 37%
• €36,967 – €80,882: 45%
• Over €80,882: 48%

Below you’ll also find some other examples of representative costs in Lisbon.

Rent per month

• 1 bedroom apartment in the city center ~ 1 000€
• 1 bedroom apartment outside of the city center ~ 760€
• 3 bedroom apartment in the city center ~ 1 700€
• 3 bedroom apartment outside of the city center ~ 1 100€

Buy apartment prices

• Price per square meter in the city center ~ 5 200€
• Price per square meter outside the city center ~ 2 600€

Restaurants

• Inexpensive meal ~ 10€
• Mid-range meal ~ 25€
• Fine dining ~ since 50€

Markets & others

• Water (1.5l bottle) ~ 0.50€
• White Bread (400g) ~ 1.10€
• Rice (1 kg) ~ 1.15€
• Meat ~ 7 – 10€ (chicken ~ 5€)
• Coke (0.33l) ~ 1,20€
• Expresso ~ 0,60€
• Bottle of wine ~ 4€