Grocery Prices in Portugal vs. Germany Reveal Stark Affordability Gaps
A viewer sent SIC an email with images of Lidl supermarket promotional flyers from April 20–26 in both Portugal and Germany, comparing food prices between the two countries. The message claims that, in some cases, prices are identical—or even lower—in German stores, despite the country's significantly higher minimum wage.
One example highlighted is ground beef. In the German flyer, the price is listed at €10.58 per kilogram, while the Portuguese flyer shows a promotional price of €9.99 per kilogram (down from the regular price of €11.69).
To further examine these price differences, SIC analyzed other products featured in the same weekly Lidl flyers in both countries.
In many cases, the prices of certain items are remarkably similar. The viewer's example illustrates this clearly: in Portugal, XXL ground beef costs €9.99 per kilogram (already discounted), whereas in Germany, the same product is priced at €5.29 for 500 grams—equivalent to €10.58 per kilogram.
However, the real disparity emerges when considering purchasing power. In 2026, Portugal's minimum wage stands at €920, while in Germany, it exceeds €2,000 gross per month. The gap widens further with average salaries: around €1,700 gross in Portugal compared to roughly €4,200 in Germany. This means that for someone living in Germany, the same purchase represents a far smaller fraction of their income than for a resident in Portugal, making the cost of living in Portugal proportionally much higher.
Let's look at more examples from the same flyer, valid until April 26.
Take Pepsi, for instance: in Portugal, a 1-liter bottle costs €0.99 (after discount), while in Germany, a larger 1.25-liter bottle is priced at just €0.88 (also discounted). When adjusted for volume, Portuguese consumers pay about €1 per liter, whereas German shoppers pay only €0.70 per liter.
The price gap is even more striking in cooking oils. In Portugal, a 1-liter bottle of Fula vegetable oil is on sale for €2.19 (a 21% discount). In Germany, meanwhile, a 5-liter jug of frying oil is promoted at €8.88—bringing the per-liter cost down to approximately €1.78, significantly cheaper than in Portugal.
Dairy prices, however, show little variation. In Portugal, an eight-liter pack of semi-skimmed Milbona milk costs €6.15 (10% off), working out to about €0.77 per liter. In Germany, a "Buy 12, Pay for 10" promotion offers whole milk at €9.50 for a dozen liters, or roughly €0.80 per liter. Though German whole milk is typically pricier than semi-skimmed, the final difference amounts to just three cents per liter compared to Portugal.
The most pronounced price difference appears in seafood. In Portugal, Lidl Plus members can buy salmon fillets for €17.09 per kilogram (down from €21.43). In Germany, an XXL pack containing eight 125-gram portions—totaling one kilogram—sells for just €15.99 (15% off). This means Portuguese consumers pay €1.10 more per kilogram of salmon than their German counterparts.
In the protein dessert category, the price difference per unit is also stark: in Portugal, a single 200g pack of Milbona High Protein Pudding costs €0.79 (with a Lidl Plus discount), working out to €3.95 per kilogram. In Germany, the XXL version of the same product offers twice the quantity (400g) for €1.49 (with a 16% discount), bringing the price down to just €3.73 per kilogram. After running the numbers, Portuguese consumers pay €0.22 more per kilogram of this pudding than their German counterparts, who benefit from a more economical family-sized format.
Following a detailed analysis of promotional flyers and a direct comparison of prices per unit, the viewer's claims have been confirmed. The investigation found that, across a range of essential and high-consumption products—from salmon and Pepsi to protein puddings—prices in Portugal are indeed higher than those in Germany. Even in cases where shelf prices are similar, such as for ground beef or milk, the financial burden on Portuguese households is significantly heavier, given that the minimum wage in Portugal is less than half of what German workers earn.
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