Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jaco Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jaco Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,315 in Jaco Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,098 in Jaco Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,880 in Jaco Beach.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 68% more expensive than Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Jaco Beach is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.80

$7.30 ₡3,348

117.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$39.91 ₡18.3K

62.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.12

$8.75 ₡4,010

20.11%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$3.80 ₡1,742

-24.47%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$1.59 ₡727

40.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.91 ₡419

64.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$2.93 ₡1,341

19.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$2.97 ₡1,360

30.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.46 ₡670

-21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.03 ₡929

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.13 ₡978

-17.37%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$2.46 ₡1,128

30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.70

$9.81 ₡4,498

37.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.87

$8.20 ₡3,761

-3.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$10.77 ₡4,937

47.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$4.43 ₡2,033

-47.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.52 ₡697

11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$4.24 ₡1,942

-52.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$3.15 ₡1,442

-21.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.36 ₡622

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.29 ₡590

55.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.86 ₡394

124.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.77 ₡811

-55.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$5.39 ₡2,471

22.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.97

$13.85 ₡6,351

-58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.34 ₡1,071

-41.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$1.97 ₡905

50.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.03 ₡474

130.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$1.79 ₡821

139.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.84 ₡845

-55.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.88

$8.00 ₡3,665

128.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.45 ₡667

42.07%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

$38.4K ₡17.6M

-10.81%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

$32.6K ₡14.9M

20.54%

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

$148 €128

$71.1 ₡32.6K

108.03%

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

$20.52 €17.80

$21.66 ₡9,928

-5.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.37

$42.49 ₡19.5K

-6.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

$47.14 ₡21.6K

1.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

$23.68 ₡10.9K

-20.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.97

$9.73 ₡4,460

-5.65%

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

$614 €533

$447 ₡204.8K

37.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$6,633 ₡3.0M

141.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$62.2 ₡28.5K

68.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.49

$52.0 ₡23.8K

-19.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$125 ₡57.4K

-24.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$109 ₡49.8K

10.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

$556 ₡255.0K

192.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

$495 ₡226.8K

153.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

$1,865 ₡854.9K

62.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

$1,044 ₡478.6K

93.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,766

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

$401 ₡184.0K

299.53%

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 Jaco Beach: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $556 in Jaco Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 300% 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 $40.00 in Jaco Beach. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $295, 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 Jaco Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 300% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $556 in Jaco Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $447 in Jaco Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,315 in Jaco Beach versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach 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 Jaco Beach 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 Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.