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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,456 in Jaco Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,288 in Jaco Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,120 in Jaco Beach.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 56% more expensive than in Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Jaco Beach 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$11.65 ₡5,213

50.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$44.54 ₡19.9K

44.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$9.67 ₡4,329

20.48%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.06 ₡1,819

-19.70%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.41 ₡1,078

3.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.87 ₡838

-10.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.23 ₡1,447

7.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.29 ₡1,920

-16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.97 ₡882

-40.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.22 ₡996

-12.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.48 ₡1,112

-37.10%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.63 ₡1,178

52.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.62 ₡4,751

24.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$8.96 ₡4,008

-6.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$12.14 ₡5,432

50.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.94 ₡2,211

-53.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.57 ₡701

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$4.56 ₡2,041

-57.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.56 ₡1,592

-25.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.55 ₡692

22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.47 ₡659

43.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.95 ₡426

51.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.92 ₡860

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$5.81 ₡2,601

20.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$14.11 ₡6,314

-58.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.61 ₡1,168

-47.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.22 ₡996

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.41 ₡1,078

73.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.63 ₡730

-32.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$8.66 ₡3,875

99.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.53 ₡683

47.06%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$22.3K ₡10.0M

54.44%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$34.8K ₡15.6M

19.52%

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

$171 €147

$79.9 ₡35.8K

113.79%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$24.02 ₡10.7K

-20.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$47.07 ₡21.1K

-27.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$53.9 ₡24.1K

-7.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.19 ₡3,663

23.32%

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

$699 €603

$483 ₡216.1K

44.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$7,329 ₡3.3M

142.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$24.95 ₡11.2K

319.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$56.9 ₡25.5K

-15.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$130 ₡58.1K

-21.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$132 ₡59.0K

-2.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$771 ₡345.0K

115.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$533 ₡238.6K

130.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,995 ₡892.8K

46.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,114 ₡498.6K

81.63%

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

$405 ₡181.3K

299.69%

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 Jaco Beach: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $771 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $45.00 in Jaco Beach. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $326, 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 300% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $771 in Jaco Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $483 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 $45.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Jaco Beach versus $2,268 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 56% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.