How much do you need to earn to live in Lisbon? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for Portugal's tax system.
You need at least €1,881/month gross to live in Lisbon on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €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
1-bedroom second-hand 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
See all 12 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore LisbonEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after Portugal's income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
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.