Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cotacachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cotacachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $721 in Cotacachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,155 in Cotacachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,590 in Cotacachi.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 209% more expensive than Cotacachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Cotacachi is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$3.83 $3.83

322.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$19.74 $19.74

227.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$4.45 $4.45

133.26%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.22 $2.22

24.77%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.07 $1.07

110.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.67 $0.67

134.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.96 $1.96

78.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.90 $3.90

2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.09 $1.09

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.56 $1.56

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.86 $1.86

-6.45%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.29 $2.29

38.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$8.63 $8.63

55.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$8.06 $8.06

-0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$7.62 $7.62

111.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.01 $2.01

13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.88 $0.88

95.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.03 $1.03

88.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.30 $1.30

95.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.38 $1.38

32.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.10 $1.10

85.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.84 $0.84

135.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.02 $1.02

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$4.55 $4.55

50.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$7.37 $7.37

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.52 $1.52

-9.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.88 $2.88

0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.44 $0.44

418.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$15.15 $15.15

209.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.21 $1.21

237.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.97 $0.97

-15.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$10.16 $10.16

79.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.70 $0.70

187.14%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$19.8K $19.8K

78.18%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

51.71%

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

$145 €124

$34.56 $34.56

320.72%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$12.78 $12.78

64.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$25.36 $25.36

57.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$29.42 $29.42

65.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$7.88 $7.88

137.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.82 $6.82

32.84%

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

$607 €519

$75.7 $75.7

701.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$3,032 $3,032

438.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$40.96 $40.96

155.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$41.26 $41.26

-0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$96.0 $96.0

-2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$60.7 $60.7

95.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$262 $262

511.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$178 $178

594.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$424 $424

619.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$343 $343

500.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$598 $598

1189.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$520 $520

720.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$434 $434

264.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.19

-65.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cotacachi: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $262 in Cotacachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 265% 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 $20.00 in Cotacachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $208 per month, with Cotacachi cheaper across the board.

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 Cotacachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Cotacachi differ by about 209% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $721 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 265% 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 $262 in Cotacachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cotacachi runs roughly 209% 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 $75.7 in Cotacachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $721 in Cotacachi versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cotacachi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cotacachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 209% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.