How much do you need to earn to live here, after Portugal takes its share?
Here's the gross monthly salary that covers rent, food, transport, and utilities once Portugal's tax system has taken its cut. (2026)
The floor in Lisbon is roughly €1,881/month gross, on a lean budget.
For something that feels comfortable, think €2,774/month gross (€2,050 net after ~26% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | €820 Cheapest neighborhood (Amadora) | €1,300 Median neighborhood | €1,700 Premium neighborhood (Príncipe Real) |
| Groceries | €300 | €360 | €450 |
| Transport | €40 | €40 | €40 |
| Utilities | €170 | €170 | €170 |
| Dining & Entertainment | €150 | €180 | €225 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | €1,480 | €2,050 | €2,585 |
€1,881/month gross
€2,774/month gross
€3,714/month gross
Second-hand 1BR rents across 12 neighborhoods in Lisbon.
Amadora
25 min by metro
€820 - €950
Almada
30 min by ferry
€880 - €1,020
Benfica
25 min by metro
€900 - €1,100
Príncipe Real
10 min by walk
€1,600 - €1,800
Avenidas Novas
10 min by metro
€1,500 - €1,700
Chiado
5 min by walk
€1,500 - €1,700
All 12 neighborhoods, the full expense sheet, and what you could save.
Explore LisbonPlug in what you'd really earn. Get your take-home pay, neighborhoods within reach, and monthly savings.
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We add up monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then work backwards to find the gross salary that lands on that number after Portugal's income tax and social contributions. Rent data reflects second-hand listings, which is what expats actually pay. All figures come from 2026 official government statistics. Full attribution lives on our data sources page.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least €1,881/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Lisbon. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €2,774/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for Portugal.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 12 neighborhoods in Lisbon is approximately €1,290/month. Rents range from €820 in Amadora to €1,800 in Príncipe Real.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Lisbon cost approximately €300. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in Portugal are progressive. At the budget salary level of €1,881/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 21%. At the comfortable level of €2,774/month, it rises to approximately 26%. This includes income tax and social contributions.