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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $999 in Alajuela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,603 in Alajuela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,206 in Alajuela.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 130% more expensive than in Alajuela, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Alajuela is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$12.14 ₡5,398

44.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$44.89 ₡20.0K

40.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.26 ₡5,004

2.84%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.35 ₡1,935

-28.74%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.56 ₡1,138

-2.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.82 ₡808

-4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$3.07 ₡1,363

13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.05 ₡1,798

-15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.47 ₡1,097

-53.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.08 ₡478

76.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.19 ₡972

-31.51%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.51 ₡1,559

13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$10.86 ₡4,827

22.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.53 ₡4,679

-23.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$14.39 ₡6,396

25.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.26 ₡1,003

3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.60 ₡713

9.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.23 ₡991

-17.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.83 ₡1,703

-33.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.18 ₡968

-15.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.24 ₡996

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.99 ₡439

50.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.02 ₡454

-19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.52 ₡2,454

28.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$20.52 ₡9,118

-71.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.46 ₡648

-10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.97 ₡431

119.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.75 ₡335

214.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$127 ₡56.5K

-63.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.80 ₡800

126.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.58 ₡703

-27.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$7.88 ₡3,503

116.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.50 ₡667

54.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$22.3K ₡9.9M

53.24%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$28.0K ₡12.4M

47.85%

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

$169 €147

$79.2 ₡35.2K

112.71%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$30.29 ₡13.5K

-36.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$63.6 ₡28.2K

-47.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.22 ₡3,655

16.42%

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

$696 €607

$1,010 ₡449.1K

-31.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$17.1K ₡7.6M

1.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$71.8 ₡31.9K

46.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$57.3 ₡25.5K

-16.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$132 ₡58.8K

-23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$74.6 ₡33.2K

66.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$741 ₡329.5K

124.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,382 ₡614.0K

114.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$2,124 ₡943.8K

-23.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

8.78

-56.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Alajuela: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $741 in Alajuela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alajuela pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $45.00 in Alajuela. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $313, 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

Lisbon vs Alajuela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alajuela is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Alajuela. 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $741 in Alajuela. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Alajuela runs roughly 173% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $1,010 in Alajuela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $999 in Alajuela versus $2,296 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, Lisbon and Alajuela 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 130% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.