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Portugal Cost of Living 2026
๐ต๐น 6 cities in Portugal, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate โ how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Portugal compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ต๐น CoimbraTourist ยท mid-size | $190 | $3,290 | โฌ10.5 | โฌ1.8 |
| ๐ต๐น FaroResort ยท small town | $190 | $4,484 | โฌ10 | โฌ2 |
| ๐ต๐น PortoBig city | $211 | $3,648 | โฌ10 | โฌ2 |
| ๐ต๐น MadeiraResort | $213 | $4,261 | โฌ11 | โฌ1.6 |
| ๐ต๐น SintraTourist ยท small town | $241 | $4,041 | โฌ14 | โฌ2 |
| ๐ต๐น LisbonBig city ยท coast | $272 | $5,020 | โฌ12 | โฌ2 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Portugal
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ต๐น Coimbra | โฌ2.3 | โฌ8 | โฌ85 | โฌ45 |
| ๐ต๐น Faro | โฌ2.5 | โฌ6 | โฌ85 | โฌ45 |
| ๐ต๐น Porto | โฌ2.7 | โฌ8 | โฌ100 | โฌ40 |
| ๐ต๐น Madeira | โฌ2.5 | โฌ8.5 | โฌ100 | โฌ50 |
| ๐ต๐น Sintra | โฌ3 | โฌ9 | โฌ110 | โฌ50 |
| ๐ต๐น Lisbon | โฌ2.5 | โฌ7 | โฌ140 | โฌ50 |
Portugal vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Portugal |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฑ๐ป Latvia | $188 | $2,934 | -14% |
| ๐ฒ๐ช Montenegro | $200 | $3,219 | -9% |
| ๐ธ๐ฐ Slovakia | $217 | $3,777 | -1% |
| ๐ต๐น Portugal | $220 | $4,124 | this country |
| ๐ช๐ช Estonia | $225 | $3,345 | +2% |
| ๐ฌ๐ท Greece | $247 | $3,704 | +12% |
| ๐จ๐พ Cyprus | $250 | $5,316 | +14% |
| ๐ช๐ธ Spain | $251 | $4,673 | +14% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Lisbon vs New York: item by item
| Item | Lisbon | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | โฌ12โ $14 | $20 | -30% |
| Coffee | โฌ2โ $2.33 | $6 | -61% |
| Beer | โฌ2.5โ $2.91 | $9 | -68% |
| 5 km taxi | โฌ7โ $8.14 | $23 | -65% |
| Hotel night | โฌ140โ $163 | $270 | -40% |
| 1-bed rent | โฌ1,300โ $1,512 | $3,300 | -54% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Lisbon $272 vs New York $467 โ about 42% cheaper.
Compare Portugal with other cities
Money tips for Portugal
Paying
Cards and contactless work almost everywhere.
Tipping
Not expected; change or 5โ10%.
Menu prices
Bread, olives and cheese placed on the table (couvert) are charged if eaten; send them back if you do not want them.
Getting around
Lisbon has trams and a metro; Uber and Bolt are cheap on the hills.
Haggling
No haggling, except at flea markets.
Water
Tap water is safe to drink.
Common rip-offs
Pickpockets on tram 28; street "drug" sellers (usually fake).
Portugal travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coimbra | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Faro | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Lisbon | Easy 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Madeira | Easy 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Porto | Easy 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sintra | Easy 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1โ5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking โบ
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Portugal?
With a mid-range room, between $190 and $272 a day depending on the city โ about $220 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Portugal cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $3,290โ$5,020 by city, about $4,124 on average.
Which city in Portugal is cheapest?
By daily budget, Coimbra ($190/day) is the cheapest and Lisbon ($272/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than Portugal?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Latvia runs about $188 a day โ 14% less than Portugal (about $220).
Is Portugal cheaper than New York?
In Lisbon, a traveler's day runs about $272 versus $467 in New York โ roughly 42% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.