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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,738 in Playa del Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $2,664 in Playa del Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $3,591 in Playa del Coco.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 31% more expensive than in Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Playa del Coco 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$16.13 ₡7,260

-2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$80.2 ₡36.1K

-20.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$10.10 ₡4,544

3.47%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$7.05 ₡3,171

-58.72%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.37 ₡1,068

-3.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.90 ₡857

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$3.28 ₡1,476

8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$6.12 ₡2,752

-35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.52 ₡1,136

-57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.78 ₡1,250

-36.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$2.14 ₡965

-20.56%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$2.93 ₡1,318

10.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$8.64 ₡3,889

53.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$12.95 ₡5,828

-40.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$13.54 ₡6,093

16.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$4.56 ₡2,052

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.52 ₡684

9.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$4.17 ₡1,875

-51.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$1.65 ₡744

49.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$3.30 ₡1,485

-45.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$2.94 ₡1,321

-29.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.96 ₡431

105.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$2.96 ₡1,330

-71.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$4.95 ₡2,226

32.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$18.51 ₡8,330

-69.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$2.09 ₡940

-36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$2.68 ₡1,205

12.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.17 ₡526

94.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$2.93 ₡1,319

44.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.81 ₡812

-53.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$7.68 ₡3,458

145.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.84 ₡827

9.78%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$38.5K ₡17.3M

-9.09%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$32.3K ₡14.5M

22.68%

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

$148 €129

$175 ₡78.5K

-15.23%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$26.08 ₡11.7K

-21.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$58.9 ₡26.5K

-32.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$56.4 ₡25.4K

-14.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

$23.53 ₡10.6K

-21.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$10.08 ₡4,538

-9.72%

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

$615 €536

$517 ₡232.7K

18.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$12.8K ₡5.8M

27.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$63.7 ₡28.7K

59.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$51.3 ₡23.1K

-18.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$125 ₡56.4K

-26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$107 ₡48.3K

13.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$767 ₡344.9K

110.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$597 ₡268.6K

109.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$1,521 ₡684.3K

101.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$981 ₡441.5K

107.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

$327 ₡147.2K

1210.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$775 ₡348.9K

106.58%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $767 in Playa del Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 107% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $80.0 in Playa del Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $369 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 31% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $1,738 including rent). Playa del Coco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 107% 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $767 in Playa del Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $1,738 in Playa del Coco – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,738 in Playa del Coco versus $2,280 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 31% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.