Living in Portugal - Cost of Living

Water: prices vary according to the municipality. Using Lisbon as the benchmark, rates vary according to levels of consumption:

• up to 5 m3/month: EUR 0.1428/ m3
• from 6 to 20 m3/month: EUR 0.5553/ m3
• over 20 m3/month: EUR 1.2982/ m3

Electricity: EUR 0.1077/ kW/h, rates EDP - BTN up to 20.7 kVA

Natural gas: EUR 0.8089/ m3

Fuel: prices in Portugal are adjusted in line with changes in the price of a barrel of oil, and differences may be found on the market. The following are the current minimum and maximum prices:

• 95 octane petrol (litre): from EUR 1.369 to EUR 1.385
• Super Plus petrol (litre): from EUR 1.444 to EUR 1.469
• Diesel (litre): EUR 1.059 to EUR 1.064.

Food and drink in supermarkets: since prices vary considerably, the average minimum and maximum prices are indicated for certain products in a normal shopping basket:

• Milk (1 litre): EUR 0.59 to EUR 0.79
• Bread (1 Kg): EUR 1.50 to EUR 2.30
• A dozen eggs: EUR 1.34 to EUR 1.79
• Meat (pork, 1 Kg): EUR 4.50Fish (salted cod, 1 Kg): EUR 9.97 to EUR 12.97
• Oranges (1 Kg): EUR 1.15 to EUR 1.19
• Apples (Golden Delicious, 1 Kg): EUR 0.59 to EUR 1.15
• Beer (0.5 litre): EUR 0.59 to EUR 0.74
• Coca-Cola (0.5 litre): EUR 0.74 to EUR 0.79

Leisure / Free time

• Cup of coffee (bica [expresso]): EUR 0.50 to EUR 0.60
• Cinema ticket: EUR 5.00 to EUR 5.50Theatre ticket: EUR 10.00 to EUR 30.00
• Big Mac (McMenu): EUR 4.10
• Snack bar meal: EUR 7.00 to EUR 10.00
• Restaurant (2nd category) meal: EUR 13.00 to EUR 20.00

Other

• Daily, local or regional newspaper: EUR 0.80 to EUR 0.90
• Toothpaste (Colgate, 75 ml): EUR 2.29 to EUR 2.99
• National Minimum Wage 2007 – EUR 403.00

Text last edited March 2008

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2009
Reproduction is authorised.