Cost of Living Comparison Between Alajuela and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Alajuela and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,587 in Alajuela versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,407 in Alajuela versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,226 in Alajuela versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Alajuela costs roughly 30% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alajuela 19% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ₡4,550

$15.75 €13.64

-35.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.22 ₡17.6K

$63.5 €55.0

-38.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 ₡4,246

$10.45 €9.05

-9.38%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ₡1,655

$2.91 €2.52

26.80%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₡912

$2.29 €1.98

-11.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡604

$1.50 €1.30

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₡967

$3.56 €3.09

-39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₡1,615

$3.96 €3.43

-9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₡837

$1.08 €0.94

73.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 ₡1,129

$1.76 €1.53

43.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₡998

$1.70 €1.47

31.18%

Eggs

$2.23 ₡1,001

$3.25 €2.81

-31.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ₡4,546

$13.25 €11.47

-23.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 ₡4,032

$7.70 €6.67

16.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 ₡6,052

$15.77 €13.66

-14.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$2.28 €1.97

68.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₡670

$1.66 €1.43

-10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 ₡1,899

$2.02 €1.75

109.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 ₡1,291

$2.47 €2.14

16.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 ₡1,284

$1.79 €1.55

59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₡1,139

$2.07 €1.79

22.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡454

$1.97 €1.71

-48.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₡1,112

$0.83 €0.72

198.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 ₡2,172

$6.55 €5.68

-26.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.01 ₡9,870

$5.57 €4.82

295.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₡973

$1.33 €1.15

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.01 €2.60

-16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₡391

$2.27 €1.97

-61.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 ₡50.6K

$46.35 €40.14

143.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 ₡624

$4.23 €3.66

-67.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 ₡590

$0.85 €0.73

55.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 ₡3,470

$18.83 €16.31

-58.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡624

$2.02 €1.75

-31.19%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.7K ₡16.9M

$35.0K €30.3K

7.74%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.0K ₡14.3M

$39.6K €34.3K

-19.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$44.51 ₡20.0K

$148 €128

-69.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.99 ₡8,965

$20.52 €17.77

-2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.06 ₡14.8K

$39.52 €34.23

-16.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 ₡28.6K

$48.17 €41.72

32.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.06 ₡19.8K

$18.39 €15.92

139.59%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 ₡3,944

$9.10 €7.88

-3.30%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$304 ₡136.3K

$615 €532

-50.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,361 ₡1.1M

$16.3K €14.1K

-85.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 ₡28.1K

$102 €88.0

-38.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 ₡22.9K

$42.09 €36.45

21.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡53.7K

$92.3 €79.9

29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ₡44.9K

$122 €106

-18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 ₡307.1K

$1,612 €1,396

-57.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₡263.6K

$1,254 €1,086

-53.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 ₡438.6K

$3,069 €2,658

-68.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 ₡416.3K

$2,037 €1,764

-54.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,131 ₡955.5K

$1,602 €1,387

33.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

3.81

166.93%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alajuela: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $685 in Alajuela and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alajuela pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Alajuela vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $267, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Alajuela vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alajuela is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Alajuela, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $685 in Alajuela versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Alajuela runs roughly 143% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Alajuela versus $615 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,587 in Alajuela versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alajuela but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Alajuela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alajuela is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Alajuela and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alajuela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.