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Coimbra vs Lisbon cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐น Coimbra
๐ต๐น Lisbon
At a glance
- Where Lisbon is clearly cheaper: Laundry (64%โ), SIM card (25%โ)
- Where Coimbra is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (54%โ), Scooter rental (50%โ), Cocktail & wine (44%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Coimbra is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Coimbra 1 vs Lisbon 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Coimbra | Lisbon | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 10.5$12.2 | โฌ 12$14 | Coimbra โ12% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | โฌ 4$4.65 | Coimbra โ12% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 30$34.9 | Coimbra โ33% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | โฌ 2$2.33 | Coimbra โ10% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 2.3$2.67 | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | Coimbra โ8% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 5$5.81 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Coimbra โ44% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 1.4$1.63 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | Coimbra โ7% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 8$9.3 | โฌ 7$8.14 | Lisbon โ12% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 5$5.81 | โฌ 5$5.81 | similar |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 2$2.33 | โฌ 1.9$2.21 | Lisbon โ5% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Coimbra โ50% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 85$98.8 | โฌ 140$163 | Coimbra โ39% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 600$698 | โฌ 1,300$1,512 | Coimbra โ54% |
| Laundry | โฌ 7$8.14 | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | Lisbon โ64% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Lisbon โ25% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 12$14 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Coimbra โ20% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 45$52.3 | โฌ 50$58.1 | Coimbra โ10% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Coimbra โ38% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 16.5$19.2 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Lisbon โ9% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Coimbra or Lisbon?
Coimbra is 32% cheaper than Lisbon. Daily budget $190 vs $272; a month $3,290 vs $5,020.
Which is easier to travel, Coimbra or Lisbon?
Coimbra is easier: Coimbra 1.6/5 vs Lisbon 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Coimbra and Lisbon?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Coimbra is about $3,290 and Lisbon about $5,020 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.