You can enjoy Lisbon for 50€ per day. We could also say Lisbon for $50 a day, more or less, if the current exchange rate holds up.
This budget will not include lodging, but it will allow for a daily museum visit and a daily bottle of wine, if you choose.
This budget is based on inflationary prices in 2023. Sadly, 25€ per day is very difficult today unless you are extremely frugal and willing to deny yourself a lot.
With my budget, you will not be eating anywhere on Rua Augusta, or on any of the streets that cross Rua Augusta.
Definitely no fine dining, and no shopping sprees.
Breakfast and a bica – breakfast could be a pastel de nata, uma bica – that’s Portugese for “an espresso,” e uma garrafa de agua fresca – a bottle of cold water. This will be less than 4€.
For your big meal of the day between noon and 3 PM, head to a locals’ restaurant and look for the “Prato do dia,” – the daily special. This should run between 8€ and 10€.
You also might find something in that price range on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, near the São Domingos church.
For dinner, you are heading to a grocery store, or a kebab shop.
A sandwich from Pingo Doce grocery store can be 1.50€ if you choose something made on American sliced bread.
A nicer sandwich on French bread will run 3 or 4€.
The cheapest places to buy groceries, unfortunately, are not the independent immigrants’ mercados, but rather chain grocery stores such as Pingo Doce, Minipreco, Auchan, and Lidl.
If you like to drink, one glass of house wine usually lists for 1.5€ to 4€ in a locals’ restaurant.
If you want red, ask for “vinho tinto da casa. Um copo.” You have a one-glass limit. Two if you found a restaurant where the house wine is 1.50€ per glass.
If you prefer white wine, ask for “vinho branco da casa. Um copo.”
One beer should also be about that amount.
However, instead of a glass of house wine with your meal, while you are at the Pingo Doce store, you can pick up a decent bottle of wine for 4€ or less!
I would suggest taking it to the Miradouro de Santa Catarina viewpoint. A lot of people bring their own drinks to this scenic park.
If you would rather not have a grocery store sandwich for dinner, a donner kebab fits the budget as well.
A doner kebab – shaved meat served on pita bread, with a salad and red and white sauce, is usually 5€.
If you go up to 8€, you can also include french fries and a drink.
Doner kebabs can be found all over Lisbon. If you are looking for one near you, check my article Europe’s best fast food – the Doner Kebab – In Lisbon!
Buy yourself a Viva Viagem subway pass for .50 when you arrive in Lisbon. Add 6€ to the pass for each day that you will be in Lisbon.
This will allow you two round trips on the subway each day.
Although it isn’t really built into the 50€ budget, if you would prefer to take an Uber, a one-way trip is going to run you less than 5€, most likely.
Each day you can visit any one museum or monument in the city. At most, the admission price will be 14€, but many will be less than 6€. For example, admission to the Berardo Art Deco Museum is only 5€ and includes a free wine-tasting that basically nullifies the price of admission.
Nearly all of the churches are free to enter.
Also, the scenic viewpoints are also free, with a few exceptions. To learn more, read my Lisbon’s Best Miradouros and Scenic Viewpoints – A visitor’s guide
If you come in under budget every day, then you will be able to splurge on a more expensive meal at the end of your trip, or buy a small souvenir.
If you really need to economize, you might be able to save by not purchasing alcohol, and walking everywhere rather than paying for transportation.
Here’s the breakdown of spending in Lisbon for 50€ per day
Breakfast 4€
Lunch 10€
Dinner 8€ or less
Bottle of wine 4€ or less
Two subway rides 6.00€, or one Uber or Bolt ride
Admission to almost any museum or attraction 12€ (Excluding Oceanário de Lisboa) Read my Lisbon Oceanarium | Plan Your Visit to the Oceanário de Lisboa
Water and misc. expenses 6€
To cut costs on lodging, see my article Lisbon’s most popular hostels by neighborhood
Prices may change. I am not affiliated with any business mentioned in this article. Thank you for reading “Lisbon on 50€ per day.”
