Your guide to the cost of living in Lisbon (2024)

In this guide, we’ll share you everything you need to know about the cost of living in Lisbon so you can budget for your move to the Portuguese capital.

Ellie

5 minute read

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19 Aug 2024

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Living

Lisbon has quickly become one of the most popular European cities for expats wanting to relocate. Recent years have seen plenty of tech companies and startups opening new offices in the Portuguese capital. With such rapid growth, the cost of living in Lisbon has changed a lot in recent years, so what can you expect if you move to Lisbon? Let’s explore the cost of living in Lisbon and find out!

Living in Lisbon is affordable, especially compared to other European capitals like London and Paris. With the average salary in Portugal being €2,741 and a monthly cost of living of €1,830 in Lisbon, you’ll find a lot of room in your monthly budget. The biggest living expense in Lisbon is the cost of your accommodation. Once you find a home in Lisbon that works with your budget, you’ll find your daily expenses quite affordable.

Living expenses in Lisbon include accommodation, food, transport, and leisure activities. As your rent will be your biggest expense in Lisbon, it’s important to budget your additional expenses to give an idea of your rental budget. Without rent, you’ll spend about €700 per month on your living expenses. Including rent, this ranges from €1,230 per month for a single person renting a room in Lisbon to €2,480 per month for a single person renting a 1-bedroom apartment in Lisbon. This gives you an idea of how much your accommodation expenses will impact your monthly budget.

To give you an idea of your monthly living expenses while in Lisbon, we’ve created a rough idea of what a typical monthly budget in Lisbon looks like for expats:

Let’s break the costs down a little further so you can get an even better understanding of the cost of living in Lisbon.

Cost of food in Lisbon

One of the bigger monthly expenses you’ll have outside of your rent is your food bill. Lisbon has a variety of options in terms of groceries and restaurants, so your food budget will vary depending on where you go.

Groceries in Lisbon will typically cost between €250 to €400 per month. Shopping in places like Aldi, Continente or Lidl will help keep your grocery budget down. Here’s an idea of what some common groceries will cost you in Lisbon:

Eating out in Lisbon is also pretty affordable, and there’s a variety of cheaper and mid-range restaurants to choose from. Eating out for lunch will cost between €9 to €12 in a pretty nice cafe. A 3-course meal for 2 in a mid range restaurant will cost about €50 for whenever you feel like splashing out. If you’re on a tight budget but still want to treat yourself, a meal in a fast food restaurant will cost about €10. Don’t forget, Lisbon is home to some of the finest Portuguese street food and markets which cost even less. Head to your local market and you’ll probably find authentic Portuguese food for €5 to €10.

Cost of transport in Lisbon

Like many capital cities, the streets of Lisbon aren't very car-friendly. The best way to get around Lisbon is by using the incredible public transportation system in place across the city. If you plan to travel around Lisbon a lot using public transport, it’s best to get a monthly subscription with a Navegante card.

The price of the subscription depends on the area you live. If you think you’ll mainly be travelling around Lisbon, Amadora and Odivelas— the municipal subscription, which costs €30 per month, is best for you. If you’re going to be moving around the Lisbon metropolitan area, the metropolitan subscription, which costs €40 per month, is your best bet.

You can also get a pay as you go subscription and top up as you go, each journey will then cost €1.61.

Taxis in Lisbon are also pretty cheap with a base rate of €3.25 and an extra €0.47 per km. If you need to move in a hurry and a nearby scooter or bike rental is the best option, it usually costs less than €5 per journey.

Cost of leisure in Lisbon

You’re an expat living in Lisbon, having fun is a mandatory part of the expat life in Lisbon! Lisbon has plenty of opportunities for fun, for all kinds of interests. Some typical entertainment costs in Lisbon include:

Your biggest living expense in Lisbon will certainly be the cost of your rent. The average cost of rent in Lisbon hit a peak during 2023, but has been decreasing ever since. The amount you pay in rent while living in Lisbon will vary a lot depending on which Lisbon neighbourhood you decide to live in and the type of accommodation you go for. Here’s what you should expect in terms of the average rent in Lisbon, by accommodation type— according to the HousingAnywhere rental index:

The Lisbon market is still quite competitive, particularly as you get closer to the centre of Lisbon. Be sure to give yourself time, and if possible try to book your accommodation before you get to Lisbon. With HousingAnywhere, you can book your Lisbon accommodation online before you arrive. Doing so will give you a head start in getting your tax identification number, setting up your bank account and getting paid!

There’re some less typical expenses that may need to factor into your monthly cost of living in Lisbon. For example, healthcare is not a monthly cost for most people living in Lisbon— but you should be aware of the these costs regardless.

Healthcare in Lisbon

As Portugal has a national health service (SNS) which funds the majority of medical services, you’ll rarely have to pay additional fees for healthcare in Lisbon, once you’ve registered with the SNS. You can only register with the SNS if you plan to live in Lisbon for longer than 90 days. You may occasionally pay between €5 and €50 fees for healthcare services you avail of, depending on your circumstances.

If you’d prefer to opt for private health insurance, you’ll spend between €40 and €100 a month.

Education in Lisbon

If you or your children will be attending school in Lisbon, you’ll be glad to know that public schools in Lisbon are free, and public universities in Lisbon are very affordable. The average tuition fees in public universities are about between €750 and €1,500 per year for EU students and between €3,000 and €5,000 per year for non-EU students.

Comparatively to other European capital cities, even private school and university fees are fairly affordable in Lisbon. Private and international schools in Lisbon cost around €13,000 per year and private universities charge on average about €4,000 per year for all nationalities.

So there you have it. Now that you’ve got an idea of how much it’ll cost you to live in Lisbon it’s time to find your perfect accommodation in Lisbon and set your monthly budget.