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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,745 in Playa del Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $2,665 in Playa del Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $3,585 in Playa del Coco.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Playa del Coco 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$15.89 ₡7,180

0.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$80.9 ₡36.6K

-21.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$10.14 ₡4,582

2.37%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$6.98 ₡3,155

-60.03%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$2.37 ₡1,072

-1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.88 ₡849

-16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$3.19 ₡1,443

7.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$5.98 ₡2,702

-34.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.55 ₡1,153

-57.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.86 ₡1,294

-38.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.15 ₡971

-20.47%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.89 ₡1,305

9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$8.61 ₡3,889

58.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$13.14 ₡5,938

-39.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$13.79 ₡6,232

12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$4.48 ₡2,024

-48.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.45 ₡654

13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$4.23 ₡1,912

-54.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.66 ₡748

51.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$3.35 ₡1,512

-46.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.07 ₡1,385

-34.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.01 ₡458

95.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.89 ₡1,307

-70.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$4.87 ₡2,201

39.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$16.62 ₡7,510

-65.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.08 ₡939

-33.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.57 ₡1,163

17.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.15 ₡522

97.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$2.90 ₡1,311

47.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.77 ₡799

-51.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$7.87 ₡3,555

132.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.91 ₡865

4.19%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$37.4K ₡16.9M

-6.33%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$32.9K ₡14.9M

20.05%

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

$146 €126

$175 ₡79.2K

-16.58%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$25.51 ₡11.5K

-19.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$60.8 ₡27.5K

-35.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$56.0 ₡25.3K

-12.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$24.00 ₡10.8K

-21.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$9.71 ₡4,389

-1.96%

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

$608 €524

$521 ₡235.3K

16.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$12.7K ₡5.8M

29.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$62.0 ₡28.0K

67.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$52.1 ₡23.5K

-19.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$124 ₡55.9K

-25.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$107 ₡48.4K

12.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$754 ₡340.5K

115.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$597 ₡269.9K

112.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,514 ₡684.1K

101.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$950 ₡429.1K

111.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$331 ₡149.6K

1207.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$751 ₡339.3K

111.04%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $754 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $81.0 in Playa del Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $367 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 30% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,745 including rent). Playa del Coco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 111% more on average, 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $754 in Playa del Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $1,745 in Playa del Coco – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,745 in Playa del Coco versus $2,263 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.