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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,553 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $2,430 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $3,307 in Guanacaste, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 46% more than Guanacaste, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lisbon and Guanacaste sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Guanacaste by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$11.01 ₡4,925

59.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$48.88 ₡21.9K

31.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.81 ₡5,286

-1.35%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.34 ₡1,944

-24.88%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.59 ₡1,157

-3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.96 ₡877

-14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.05 ₡1,366

13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.43 ₡1,981

-19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.07 ₡928

-43.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$3.07 ₡1,376

-36.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.54 ₡1,136

-38.58%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.65 ₡1,635

9.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$5.45 ₡2,439

143.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.54 ₡2,033

85.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$11.24 ₡5,030

62.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.73 ₡1,220

-15.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.66 ₡745

4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$4.57 ₡2,043

-57.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.58 ₡707

67.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$3.97 ₡1,776

-52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.17 ₡972

-2.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.93 ₡418

54.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$3.27 ₡1,465

-75.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$4.54 ₡2,032

54.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$20.10 ₡8,995

-70.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.81 ₡1,259

-51.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.75 ₡1,229

-21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.32 ₡589

80.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.54 ₡1,137

64.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.58 ₡707

-30.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$8.56 ₡3,830

101.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.49 ₡668

51.01%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$22.1K ₡9.9M

56.00%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$35.1K ₡15.7M

18.49%

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

$171 €147

$95.1 ₡42.6K

79.67%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$37.45 ₡16.8K

-49.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$33.99 ₡15.2K

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$74.9 ₡33.5K

-33.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.23 ₡3,684

22.72%

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

$699 €603

$985 ₡440.7K

-29.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$17.3K ₡7.8M

2.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$66.0 ₡29.5K

58.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$44.89 ₡20.1K

6.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$88.2 ₡39.5K

15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$79.0 ₡35.3K

62.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$802 ₡358.8K

107.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$641 ₡286.7K

91.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,904 ₡852.1K

53.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,266 ₡566.6K

59.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

8.78

-56.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $802 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $49.00 in Guanacaste. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Lisbon vs $318 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 46%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $2,329 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 $2,268 in Lisbon and $1,553 in Guanacaste. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $985 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 $1,553, than in Lisbon at $2,268. 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.