Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Escazu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Escazu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in Lisbon versus $1,994 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,409 in Lisbon versus $3,011 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,496 in Lisbon versus $4,029 in Escazu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 16% more expensive than in Escazu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Escazu 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.63

$12.21 ₡5,450

40.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 €54.8

$56.7 ₡25.3K

13.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.02

$11.53 ₡5,145

1.56%

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.69

$4.44 ₡1,980

-29.28%

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

$2.51 €2.14

$2.52 ₡1,126

-0.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.97 ₡881

-15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.01

$3.09 ₡1,379

13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.88

$4.55 ₡2,033

-25.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €0.99

$2.43 ₡1,085

-52.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.73

$3.32 ₡1,484

-39.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 €1.35

$2.51 ₡1,121

-37.05%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.46

$3.49 ₡1,558

16.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 €10.96

$10.97 ₡4,896

16.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 €6.86

$10.02 ₡4,471

-19.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 €14.57

$14.35 ₡6,403

18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$5.31 ₡2,371

-55.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.55 ₡694

18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$3.16 ₡1,410

-37.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.28

$3.18 ₡1,418

-16.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$3.98 ₡1,777

-52.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.77 ₡1,681

-47.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.03 ₡461

38.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$1.76 ₡787

-48.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.84

$5.72 ₡2,551

19.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.73 €4.90

$18.65 ₡8,324

-69.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.73 ₡774

-23.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.78 ₡1,239

-23.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.05

$1.10 ₡492

118.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.94 €39.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 €3.63

$2.09 ₡933

103.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.95

$1.58 ₡706

-29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 €15.39

$8.64 ₡3,855

108.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.88

$1.49 ₡665

47.65%

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

$35.2K €30.1K

$21.8K ₡9.7M

61.63%

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

$40.0K €34.2K

$36.3K ₡16.2M

10.41%

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

$171 €146

$102 ₡45.5K

67.79%

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

$19.61 €16.78

$29.64 ₡13.2K

-33.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.19 €28.39

$62.9 ₡28.1K

-47.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 €41.02

$108 ₡48.2K

-55.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 €17.01

$9.92 ₡4,428

100.40%

Cinema Ticket

$10.12 €8.66

$9.09 ₡4,059

11.33%

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

$700 €599

$447 ₡199.5K

56.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €14.8K

$17.3K ₡7.7M

0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €93.4

$73.6 ₡32.8K

48.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.84 €40.92

$55.9 ₡24.9K

-14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$128 ₡57.2K

-17.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$135 ₡60.4K

-6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 €1,461

$846 ₡377.7K

101.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 €1,082

$850 ₡379.5K

48.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 €2,543

$1,943 ₡866.9K

53.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 €1,711

$1,511 ₡674.2K

32.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,013 €6,855

$1,356 ₡605.1K

490.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,871

$953 ₡425.3K

374.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,663 €1,422

$1,754 ₡782.7K

-5.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.73

8.89

-58.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 15, 2026

Last update for Escazu: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,708 in Lisbon and $846 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $57.0 in Escazu. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $368, 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 Escazu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Escazu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Escazu. 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: $1,708 in Lisbon versus $846 in Escazu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 33% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,322 per month in Lisbon versus $1,994 in Escazu – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,994 in Escazu versus $2,322 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Escazu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Escazu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Escazu 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 Escazu 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 Escazu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.