Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ajijic Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ajijic

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,182 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,939 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,696 in Ajijic, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 87% more than Ajijic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Ajijic is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$7.91 MX$137

101.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$34.68 MX$600

86.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.80 MX$118

54.56%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.35 MX$58.0

-14.33%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.07 MX$18.53

109.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.85 MX$14.66

76.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.82 MX$31.55

91.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.15 MX$54.5

23.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.36 MX$23.44

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.27 MX$39.33

-22.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.08 MX$18.69

62.96%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.00 MX$34.58

61.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$8.09 MX$140

66.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.23 MX$125

9.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.80 MX$118

133.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.16 MX$37.31

6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.89 MX$15.41

91.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.91 MX$15.77

120.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.41 MX$24.44

74.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.38 MX$23.84

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.04 MX$17.98

92.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.87 MX$14.99

121.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.83 MX$14.28

-4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$4.07 MX$70.4

62.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$9.31 MX$161

-38.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.40 MX$24.24

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.68 MX$29.05

76.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.61 MX$10.56

288.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.09 MX$18.85

293.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.58 MX$27.38

-48.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$3.18 MX$55.1

475.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.31 MX$22.59

57.25%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$18.8K MX$324.7K

82.60%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$18.9K MX$326.6K

108.08%

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

$148 €127

$44.74 MX$774

230.51%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$16.21 MX$280

26.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$25.54 MX$442

55.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$24.01 MX$415

99.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$5.24 MX$90.7

261.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$4.29 MX$74.2

113.99%

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

$614 €528

$179 MX$3,095

243.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$2,654 MX$45.9K

504.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$41.62 MX$720

151.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$16.17 MX$280

160.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$65.2 MX$1,128

44.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$54.1 MX$935

121.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$812 MX$14.0K

100.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$633 MX$10.9K

98.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,597 MX$27.6K

89.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,401 MX$24.2K

44.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$3,248 MX$56.2K

140.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,742 MX$30.1K

145.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$583 MX$10.1K

175.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.24

-66.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $812 in Ajijic. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 175% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $35.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $205 – making Ajijic the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Ajijic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,773 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ajijic, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,182 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $179 in Ajijic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ajijic, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Ajijic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ajijic – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ajijic. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.