Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Playa del Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Playa del Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,746 in Playa del Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,752 in Playa del Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,758 in Playa del Coco.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 30% more expensive than in Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Playa del Coco 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$18.33 ₡8,203

-4.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$58.7 ₡26.2K

9.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.81 ₡5,284

-1.35%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.22 ₡1,889

-22.75%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.59 ₡1,160

-3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.64 ₡734

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.59 ₡1,606

-3.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$5.88 ₡2,633

-39.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.45 ₡1,096

-51.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.85 ₡1,276

-31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.52 ₡1,129

-38.10%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.53 ₡1,578

13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.75 ₡4,812

23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$10.38 ₡4,644

-18.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$14.00 ₡6,268

30.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$5.05 ₡2,260

-54.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.65 ₡740

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$3.43 ₡1,535

-43.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.48 ₡1,559

-24.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$3.04 ₡1,359

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$3.23 ₡1,444

-34.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.13 ₡507

27.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.77 ₡1,241

-71.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$5.87 ₡2,626

19.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$16.84 ₡7,539

-64.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.67 ₡1,194

-49.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.72 ₡1,217

-20.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.36 ₡609

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$3.33 ₡1,488

25.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.63 ₡729

-32.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$8.90 ₡3,982

93.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.05 ₡917

9.76%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$22.2K ₡10.0M

55.00%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$35.5K ₡15.9M

17.13%

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

$171 €147

$97.3 ₡43.6K

75.57%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$29.69 ₡13.3K

-35.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-43.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$74.2 ₡33.2K

-33.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.31 ₡3,718

21.54%

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

$699 €603

$864 ₡386.9K

-19.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

3.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$71.2 ₡31.8K

47.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$57.0 ₡25.5K

-15.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$131 ₡58.8K

-22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$134 ₡60.0K

-4.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$794 ₡355.4K

109.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$631 ₡282.5K

94.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,847 ₡826.8K

57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,283 ₡574.2K

57.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$332 ₡148.8K

1294.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$767 ₡343.4K

111.05%

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 Playa del Coco: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $794 in Playa del Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 111% 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 $59.0 in Playa del Coco. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $376, 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 Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Playa del Coco differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,746 including rent). Playa del Coco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 111% 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 $794 in Playa del Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 33% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,746 in Playa del Coco – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,746 in Playa del Coco versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Playa del Coco but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Coco 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 Playa del Coco 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 Playa del Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.