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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,171 in Perez Zeledon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,927 in Perez Zeledon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,683 in Perez Zeledon.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 90% more expensive than Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Perez Zeledon is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$6.78 ₡3,082

138.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$39.34 ₡17.9K

64.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.98 ₡4,539

4.01%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.80 ₡1,729

-27.11%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.45 ₡661

55.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.59 ₡725

-1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.91 ₡1,325

19.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$4.74 ₡2,154

-15.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.95 ₡886

-44.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.76 ₡1,254

-36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.14 ₡973

-18.69%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.53 ₡1,148

25.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$8.19 ₡3,725

63.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$9.01 ₡4,099

-11.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.51 ₡6,144

19.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.52 ₡2,053

-49.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.03 ₡470

66.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$4.20 ₡1,909

-53.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$3.42 ₡1,553

-25.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.85 ₡1,294

-35.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.80 ₡1,273

-27.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.38 ₡174

421.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.94 ₡1,337

-71.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.09 ₡2,317

34.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$21.95 ₡9,981

-73.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.15 ₡977

-36.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.52 ₡691

90.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.74 ₡334

208.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.85 ₡841

120.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.80 ₡819

-54.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$8.10 ₡3,684

125.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.40 ₡635

43.57%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$38.2K ₡17.3M

-7.56%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$33.2K ₡15.1M

15.93%

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

$145 €124

$93.5 ₡42.5K

55.47%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$21.44 ₡9,750

-2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$59.1 ₡26.9K

-32.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$30.20 ₡13.7K

61.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$23.49 ₡10.7K

-20.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$9.70 ₡4,413

-6.60%

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

$607 €519

$500 ₡227.3K

21.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.9K ₡5.9M

26.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$63.5 ₡28.9K

64.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$50.9 ₡23.1K

-19.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$125 ₡56.8K

-25.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$108 ₡49.0K

10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$336 ₡153.0K

376.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$263 ₡119.8K

369.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,537 ₡699.1K

98.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$632 ₡287.3K

225.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-57.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $336 in Perez Zeledon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Perez Zeledon. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $347, 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 90% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,171 including rent). Perez Zeledon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $1,756 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $336 in Perez Zeledon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,171 in Perez Zeledon – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,171 in Perez Zeledon versus $2,227 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 90% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.