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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,674 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,346 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,018 in Cartago.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 37% more expensive than in Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Cartago 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$8.96 ₡3,983

96.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$35.29 ₡15.7K

78.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$10.07 ₡4,474

15.00%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.52 ₡2,008

-31.42%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.23 ₡993

11.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.44 ₡640

20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.18 ₡970

59.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.24 ₡1,884

-18.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.45 ₡1,090

-53.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.38 ₡1,059

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.53 ₡1,122

-40.71%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.52 ₡1,566

13.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$8.83 ₡3,926

50.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.37 ₡4,611

-22.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$13.92 ₡6,185

29.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$5.08 ₡2,257

-53.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.30 ₡576

34.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$4.54 ₡2,018

-59.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.08 ₡1,370

-17.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.28 ₡1,016

-19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.24 ₡995

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.10 ₡489

35.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.25 ₡1,002

-63.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.95 ₡2,643

19.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$15.50 ₡6,888

-61.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.80 ₡1,244

-53.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.97 ₡878

8.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.29 ₡574

82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$76.5 ₡34.0K

-39.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.34 ₡597

204.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.58 ₡701

-27.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$9.01 ₡4,005

89.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.50 ₡668

54.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$21.9K ₡9.7M

56.08%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$34.9K ₡15.5M

18.68%

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

$169 €147

$54.2 ₡24.1K

210.86%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$36.97 ₡16.4K

-47.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$62.3 ₡27.7K

-46.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$74.1 ₡32.9K

-34.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$77.4 ₡34.4K

-74.89%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$7.08 ₡3,146

35.17%

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

$696 €607

$559 ₡248.6K

24.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$7,916 ₡3.5M

119.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$73.0 ₡32.5K

44.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$55.9 ₡24.8K

-14.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$124 ₡55.1K

-18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$89.3 ₡39.7K

39.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$874 ₡388.3K

90.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$718 ₡319.1K

73.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,873 ₡832.7K

58.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$733 ₡325.8K

179.43%

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

$1,335 ₡593.3K

22.22%

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 Cartago: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $874 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 22% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $351, 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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $874 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 64% 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 $559 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,674 in Cartago versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,500 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, Lisbon and Cartago 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 37% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.