Lisbon vs Madeira
📶
Madeira has 2x faster internet
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Lisbon
Madeira
Total Budget
$2,200/mo
$2,200/mo
Rent (1BR)
$800/mo ✓
$1,100/mo
Coworking
$200/mo
$150/mo ✓
Meal Out
$12
$12
Coffee
$1.5 ✓
$2.5
Both cities have similar costs
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇵🇹 Lisbon
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-1
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West4h
🇺🇸 US East7h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🇵🇹 Madeira
📶 Internet200 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-1
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West4h
🇺🇸 US East7h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Lisbon
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp18°C
Rainy Days83/year
Best months: June, July, August, May
Madeira
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp17°C
Rainy Days123/year
Best months: July, August, June
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
13°14°
Apr
17°15°
Jul
23°20°
Oct
20°19°
LisbonMadeira
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇵🇹Lisbon
🇵🇹Madeira
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,200
$2,200
📶
Internet Speed
100 Mbps
200 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
4.3/5
4.8/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
4.5/10
4.3/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
Winner5/10
🚶
Walkability
9/10
Winner7/10
👥
Community
very large
Winnermedium
3
Lisbon wins
vs
2
Madeira wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Madeira
200 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Lisbon
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Madeira
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Lisbon
World-famous nightlife scene
🇵🇹Lisbon
Pros
- +Beautiful weather year-round
- +Strong digital nomad community
- +Excellent healthcare system
- +Path to EU citizenship (5 years)
Cons
- −Rising cost of living
- −Expensive rent in city center
- −Bureaucracy can be slow
- −High income requirement for D8 visa (€3,480/mo)
🇵🇹Madeira
Pros
- +First Digital Nomad Village in Europe with free coworking in Ponta do Sol
- +UNESCO World Heritage Laurisilva forest with 2,500km of levada trails
- +Eternal spring climate with mild temperatures year-round (15-25°C)
- +One of the safest destinations in Europe with very low crime
Cons
- −Rising rent prices approaching Amsterdam levels in Funchal center
- −Car rental essential for exploring beyond Funchal and hiking trails
- −Limited nightlife compared to mainland European cities
- −Small island can feel isolating after extended stays