Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Playa Flamingo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Playa Flamingo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $1,593 in Playa Flamingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $2,427 in Playa Flamingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $3,261 in Playa Flamingo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 41% more expensive than Playa Flamingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 67% above, Playa Flamingo 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.36

$10.82 ₡4,941

45.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.6

$59.9 ₡27.4K

5.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.76

$9.80 ₡4,475

5.31%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.39

$3.79 ₡1,733

-25.86%

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

$2.33 €1.98

$2.05 ₡938

13.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.28

$1.64 ₡751

-7.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.86

$2.90 ₡1,323

16.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.32

$4.81 ₡2,196

-18.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$2.00 ₡913

-46.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.87 ₡1,311

-39.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.21 ₡1,011

-20.81%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.63

$2.37 ₡1,081

30.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.27

$9.86 ₡4,505

34.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.66

$9.09 ₡4,154

-13.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.63

$13.60 ₡6,214

18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.03

$4.41 ₡2,014

-45.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.46

$1.51 ₡691

13.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.67

$4.16 ₡1,901

-52.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.16

$3.54 ₡1,616

-27.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$3.53 ₡1,614

-49.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$3.10 ₡1,416

-36.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$0.94 ₡430

108.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$2.84 ₡1,297

-70.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.79

$4.92 ₡2,247

38.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.97

$22.18 ₡10.1K

-73.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.17

$2.44 ₡1,116

-43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.48

$2.82 ₡1,290

3.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.94

$1.03 ₡472

122.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.80

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.50

$1.80 ₡823

128.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.77 ₡809

-54.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.08

$7.70 ₡3,516

145.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.77

$1.46 ₡665

43.15%

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

$35.1K €29.8K

$38.2K ₡17.5M

-8.15%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$32.1K ₡14.7M

23.54%

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

$150 €127

$92.1 ₡42.0K

62.48%

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

$20.49 €17.40

$19.62 ₡8,963

4.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.24

$60.0 ₡27.4K

-34.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.15

$57.5 ₡26.3K

-13.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.69

$24.16 ₡11.0K

-23.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.81

$9.97 ₡4,554

-7.72%

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

$624 €530

$564 ₡257.8K

10.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.5K

$9,050 ₡4.1M

75.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €86.7

$62.5 ₡28.6K

63.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.71

$51.6 ₡23.6K

-20.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.2

$124 ₡56.4K

-22.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$109 ₡49.7K

11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,403

$752 ₡343.7K

119.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,047

$600 ₡274.2K

105.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,584

$1,519 ₡694.1K

100.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,748

$973 ₡444.5K

111.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,689

$3,597 ₡1.6M

119.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,654

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,330

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa Flamingo: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $752 in Playa Flamingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63 in Lisbon vs $60 in Playa Flamingo. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $365, 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 Flamingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Playa Flamingo differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $1,593 including rent). Playa Flamingo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,365 in Lisbon and $2,390 in Playa Flamingo 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $752 in Playa Flamingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $1,593 in Playa Flamingo – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,593 in Playa Flamingo versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Playa Flamingo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Playa Flamingo 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 Flamingo 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 Flamingo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.