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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,500 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $2,132 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $2,763 in Cartago.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 52% more expensive than in Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Cartago 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$8.08 ₡3,624

94.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$31.20 ₡14.0K

103.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$8.75 ₡3,923

19.43%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.78 ₡1,697

-23.02%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.96 ₡881

16.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.25 ₡560

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.05 ₡919

73.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.69 ₡2,103

-15.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.07 ₡927

-47.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.19 ₡984

-19.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.17 ₡975

-21.66%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$3.02 ₡1,354

7.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$8.01 ₡3,593

65.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$9.16 ₡4,106

-15.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$13.85 ₡6,209

13.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.62 ₡2,070

-50.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.17 ₡525

41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$3.94 ₡1,765

-48.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.74 ₡1,229

-9.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.94 ₡872

-7.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.96 ₡879

5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.01 ₡454

95.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$2.01 ₡903

-58.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$5.33 ₡2,391

22.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$15.22 ₡6,824

-63.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.51 ₡1,125

-47.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.82 ₡818

65.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$1.02 ₡458

122.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$70.3 ₡31.5K

-34.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$1.35 ₡606

213.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.86 ₡834

-54.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$7.84 ₡3,515

140.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.44 ₡647

40.28%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$38.3K ₡17.2M

-8.73%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$32.6K ₡14.6M

21.43%

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

$148 €128

$48.78 ₡21.9K

203.26%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$26.16 ₡11.7K

-21.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$56.3 ₡25.2K

-29.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$57.4 ₡25.8K

-16.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$24.26 ₡10.9K

-24.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.31 ₡2,830

44.22%

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

$615 €532

$499 ₡223.9K

23.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$7,284 ₡3.3M

123.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$61.9 ₡27.8K

64.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$51.6 ₡23.1K

-18.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$110 ₡49.3K

-15.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$80.1 ₡35.9K

52.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$753 ₡337.6K

114.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$590 ₡264.4K

112.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$751 ₡336.6K

308.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$756 ₡338.8K

169.54%

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)

$1,602 €1,387

$1,312 ₡588.5K

22.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-61.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cartago: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $753 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 $31.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $319, 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 52% 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $753 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 52% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $615 in Lisbon versus $499 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,500 in Cartago versus $2,280 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, 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 52% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.