Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,500 in Cartago versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,128 in Cartago versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,757 in Cartago versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Cartago costs roughly 34% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cartago 12% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 ₡3,508

$15.94 €13.73

-51.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.28 ₡14.1K

$63.4 €54.6

-50.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 ₡4,101

$10.38 €8.95

-12.52%

Cappuccino

$3.82 ₡1,724

$2.79 €2.40

36.92%

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

$2.02 ₡913

$2.34 €2.01

-13.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₡561

$1.57 €1.35

-21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ₡877

$3.43 €2.95

-43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ₡2,086

$3.91 €3.37

18.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₡889

$1.08 €0.93

82.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 ₡977

$1.77 €1.52

22.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ₡976

$1.71 €1.47

26.32%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,313

$3.15 €2.71

-7.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 ₡3,506

$13.68 €11.79

-43.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 ₡4,046

$8.01 €6.90

11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,214

$15.52 €13.37

-11.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 ₡2,015

$2.29 €1.98

94.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ₡544

$1.64 €1.41

-26.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 ₡1,763

$1.94 €1.67

101.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 ₡1,223

$2.51 €2.17

7.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 ₡920

$1.79 €1.54

13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 ₡925

$2.01 €1.73

1.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡458

$1.97 €1.69

-48.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡875

$0.84 €0.73

130.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 ₡2,395

$6.79 €5.85

-21.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 ₡6,951

$5.67 €4.89

171.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 ₡1,149

$1.39 €1.20

82.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₡820

$3.02 €2.60

-39.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ₡477

$2.27 €1.95

-53.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.2 ₡31.3K

$45.44 €39.15

52.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ₡633

$4.29 €3.70

-67.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 ₡845

$0.85 €0.73

120.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 ₡3,558

$18.28 €15.75

-56.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡661

$1.99 €1.71

-26.63%

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

$37.2K ₡16.8M

$35.0K €30.2K

6.20%

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

$33.1K ₡15.0M

$39.5K €34.1K

-16.31%

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

$47.76 ₡21.6K

$146 €126

-67.33%

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

$26.03 ₡11.8K

$20.45 €17.62

27.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 ₡26.1K

$38.98 €33.58

48.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.1K

$48.98 €42.21

17.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.52 ₡10.6K

$18.83 €16.22

24.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 ₡2,896

$9.52 €8.21

-32.67%

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

$496 ₡224.2K

$608 €524

-18.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,129 ₡3.2M

$16.5K €14.2K

-56.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ₡28.0K

$104 €89.5

-40.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 ₡23.0K

$42.12 €36.29

20.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ₡49.2K

$92.2 €79.5

18.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 ₡36.0K

$120 €103

-33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₡339.3K

$1,621 €1,397

-53.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₡265.8K

$1,268 €1,092

-53.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₡340.4K

$3,048 €2,626

-75.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₡339.4K

$2,009 €1,731

-62.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,335 ₡603.2K

$1,585 €1,366

-15.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

162.47%

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

Last update for Cartago: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $751 in Cartago and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Cartago vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $314 vs $269, 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

Cartago vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lisbon earns 19% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $751 in Cartago versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 52% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $496 in Cartago versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,500 in Cartago versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cartago 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, Cartago 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 Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.