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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,434 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,141 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,849 in Guanacaste, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 54% more than Guanacaste, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lisbon and Guanacaste sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Guanacaste by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$9.77 ₡4,464

62.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$44.08 ₡20.1K

46.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$9.90 ₡4,525

6.16%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.79 ₡1,731

-24.27%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.01 ₡918

11.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.67 ₡761

-10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.89 ₡1,321

20.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.14 ₡1,892

-6.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.82 ₡833

-37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.77 ₡1,267

-36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.18 ₡996

-19.27%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.02 ₡1,380

6.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$5.07 ₡2,315

166.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.07 ₡1,860

94.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$10.11 ₡4,617

56.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.46 ₡1,123

-6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.47 ₡671

15.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.94 ₡1,799

-48.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.42 ₡650

73.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$3.40 ₡1,553

-45.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.93 ₡882

3.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.76 ₡347

153.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.91 ₡1,328

-72.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$3.89 ₡1,778

69.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$22.38 ₡10.2K

-74.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.51 ₡1,146

-45.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.45 ₡1,119

21.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.01 ₡463

134.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.79 ₡818

139.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.83 ₡837

-55.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$8.05 ₡3,676

127.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.46 ₡666

41.10%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.6K ₡17.2M

-8.85%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$32.3K ₡14.8M

21.71%

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

$148 €127

$92.7 ₡42.4K

59.50%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$25.74 ₡11.8K

-20.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$29.44 ₡13.5K

34.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$57.9 ₡26.4K

-17.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$23.98 ₡11.0K

-21.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$9.76 ₡4,459

-5.94%

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

$614 €529

$567 ₡259.1K

8.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$12.6K ₡5.8M

27.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$59.1 ₡27.0K

77.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$39.12 ₡17.9K

7.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$78.8 ₡36.0K

19.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$69.2 ₡31.6K

72.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$758 ₡346.5K

114.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$591 ₡270.0K

112.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,532 ₡699.9K

97.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$976 ₡446.1K

106.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $758 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $44.00 in Guanacaste. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Lisbon vs $291 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 54%, 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,151 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,434 in Guanacaste. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $567 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 $1,434, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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.