Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Guanacaste Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Guanacaste

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,425 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $2,146 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $2,867 in Guanacaste, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 61% more than Guanacaste, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lisbon and Guanacaste sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Guanacaste by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$9.89 ₡4,426

63.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$43.00 ₡19.2K

47.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$10.10 ₡4,520

2.18%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.74 ₡1,673

-24.33%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.07 ₡926

10.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.59 ₡713

-0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.98 ₡1,334

14.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$4.31 ₡1,928

-6.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.81 ₡812

-39.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.86 ₡1,280

-38.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.21 ₡987

-20.36%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.98 ₡1,333

6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$5.08 ₡2,271

159.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.86 ₡1,728

106.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$10.12 ₡4,528

53.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.44 ₡1,090

-2.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.45 ₡647

17.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$4.06 ₡1,818

-50.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.42 ₡635

71.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.37 ₡1,510

-47.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.02 ₡906

0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.82 ₡369

134.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$2.83 ₡1,265

-69.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$4.04 ₡1,806

62.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$22.12 ₡9,896

-74.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.51 ₡1,123

-47.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.44 ₡1,090

21.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.95 ₡425

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.85 ₡827

128.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.79 ₡799

-54.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$7.96 ₡3,562

131.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.46 ₡655

42.47%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$37.8K ₡16.9M

-8.17%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$33.2K ₡14.8M

18.12%

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

$148 €130

$93.3 ₡41.7K

58.70%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$26.11 ₡11.7K

-21.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$29.87 ₡13.4K

32.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$56.3 ₡25.2K

-14.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$23.83 ₡10.7K

-21.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$10.21 ₡4,568

-9.70%

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

$616 €540

$564 ₡252.1K

9.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$12.8K ₡5.7M

27.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$60.5 ₡27.1K

69.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$40.37 ₡18.1K

3.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$79.7 ₡35.7K

18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$69.9 ₡31.3K

74.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$763 ₡341.5K

113.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$607 ₡271.3K

103.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,512 ₡676.2K

104.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$960 ₡429.6K

111.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.17

-62.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $763 in Guanacaste. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $43.00 in Guanacaste. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Lisbon vs $290 in Guanacaste – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Guanacaste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $2,137 in Guanacaste. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guanacaste, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,291 in Lisbon and $1,425 in Guanacaste. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $564 in Guanacaste. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guanacaste, where all-in costs run around $1,425, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Guanacaste it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guanacaste – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Guanacaste. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.