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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,476 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,142 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,808 in Cartago.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 51% more expensive than Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Cartago 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$7.93 ₡3,605

103.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$31.36 ₡14.3K

105.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.11 ₡4,145

13.94%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.95 ₡1,794

-29.87%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.03 ₡922

10.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.23 ₡558

27.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.03 ₡922

71.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$4.75 ₡2,160

-15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.97 ₡897

-45.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.23 ₡1,016

-21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.25 ₡1,025

-22.67%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.98 ₡1,354

6.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.76 ₡3,531

73.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$9.05 ₡4,115

-11.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.45 ₡6,118

19.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.54 ₡2,065

-49.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.16 ₡527

48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$3.94 ₡1,791

-50.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.76 ₡1,254

-7.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.96 ₡893

-6.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.04 ₡926

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.97 ₡442

104.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.95 ₡885

-56.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.38 ₡2,445

27.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$15.32 ₡6,964

-62.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.51 ₡1,140

-45.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.83 ₡830

58.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.03 ₡468

121.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$69.4 ₡31.5K

-32.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.41 ₡639

189.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.85 ₡841

-55.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$7.87 ₡3,581

132.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.45 ₡660

38.62%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$37.8K ₡17.2M

-6.64%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$33.0K ₡15.0M

16.56%

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

$145 €124

$47.45 ₡21.6K

206.43%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$25.90 ₡11.8K

-19.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$57.2 ₡26.0K

-29.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$56.2 ₡25.5K

-13.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$24.30 ₡11.0K

-23.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.36 ₡2,892

42.45%

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

$607 €519

$507 ₡230.5K

19.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$7,204 ₡3.3M

126.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$62.3 ₡28.3K

68.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$52.2 ₡23.7K

-21.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$111 ₡50.6K

-15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$80.0 ₡36.4K

48.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$767 ₡348.7K

109.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$586 ₡266.4K

110.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$740 ₡336.3K

311.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$774 ₡352.0K

165.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,331 ₡605.4K

18.99%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cartago: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $767 in Cartago. 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $31.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $315, 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 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 19% more on average, 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $767 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 48% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $507 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,476 in Cartago versus $2,227 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 51% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.