Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Perez Zeledon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Perez Zeledon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,333 in Perez Zeledon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,374 in Perez Zeledon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,415 in Perez Zeledon.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 72% more expensive than in Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Perez Zeledon is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$9.47 ₡4,210

85.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$37.63 ₡16.7K

67.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$8.17 ₡3,630

41.74%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.63 ₡1,169

17.87%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.92 ₡851

29.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.74 ₡771

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.73 ₡769

101.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.11 ₡1,380

10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.59 ₡708

-27.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.16 ₡1,406

-39.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.55 ₡1,133

-41.18%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.55 ₡1,134

56.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$10.72 ₡4,765

23.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.61 ₡4,715

-24.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$14.37 ₡6,389

25.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$5.20 ₡2,312

-54.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.12 ₡499

56.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$4.70 ₡2,089

-60.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$4.04 ₡1,795

-36.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.86 ₡1,714

-52.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.76 ₡1,671

-44.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.45 ₡200

231.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$3.22 ₡1,430

-74.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.78 ₡2,568

22.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$20.59 ₡9,151

-71.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.85 ₡1,266

-54.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.64 ₡1,619

-41.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.76 ₡336

210.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.51 ₡1,117

62.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.56 ₡694

-26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$8.63 ₡3,836

98.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.54 ₡685

50.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$21.7K ₡9.6M

57.20%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$35.2K ₡15.6M

17.60%

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

$169 €147

$95.8 ₡42.6K

76.01%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$24.16 ₡10.7K

-19.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$61.9 ₡27.5K

-45.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$72.9 ₡32.4K

-32.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.11 ₡3,606

18.00%

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

$696 €607

$490 ₡217.8K

42.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$17.5K ₡7.8M

-0.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$71.5 ₡31.8K

47.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$55.4 ₡24.6K

-13.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$133 ₡58.9K

-24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$133 ₡59.2K

-6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$402 ₡178.7K

313.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$330 ₡146.7K

277.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$2,142 ₡952.2K

38.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,295 ₡575.5K

58.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

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 12, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $402 in Perez Zeledon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Perez Zeledon. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $390, 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 Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Perez Zeledon differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,333 including rent). Perez Zeledon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $2,000 in Perez Zeledon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $402 in Perez Zeledon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,333 in Perez Zeledon – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,333 in Perez Zeledon versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Perez Zeledon but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Perez Zeledon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Perez Zeledon 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 Perez Zeledon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.