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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,564 in Playa Flamingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,429 in Playa Flamingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,294 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 65% above, Playa Flamingo 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.80

$11.02 ₡5,050

44.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$59.8 ₡27.4K

8.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.12

$9.78 ₡4,485

7.46%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$3.92 ₡1,798

-26.79%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$1.99 ₡914

12.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.58 ₡723

-5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$2.97 ₡1,360

17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$4.77 ₡2,189

-18.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.98 ₡909

-42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.89 ₡1,326

-39.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.17 ₡994

-18.89%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$2.37 ₡1,085

35.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.70

$10.02 ₡4,595

34.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.87

$9.07 ₡4,158

-12.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$13.41 ₡6,149

18.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$4.58 ₡2,099

-49.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.52 ₡695

11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$4.29 ₡1,968

-53.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$3.45 ₡1,580

-28.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$3.39 ₡1,556

-45.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$3.12 ₡1,431

-35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.03 ₡471

87.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.93 ₡1,344

-73.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$5.09 ₡2,334

29.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.97

$21.89 ₡10.0K

-73.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.43 ₡1,112

-43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$2.82 ₡1,292

5.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

$0.98 ₡447

141.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$1.80 ₡824

138.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.85 ₡848

-55.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.88

$7.71 ₡3,533

137.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.40 ₡640

47.14%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

$38.0K ₡17.4M

-9.80%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

$32.6K ₡14.9M

20.51%

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

$148 €128

$94.1 ₡43.1K

57.22%

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

$20.52 €17.80

$20.34 ₡9,324

0.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.37

$58.7 ₡26.9K

-32.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

$56.6 ₡26.0K

-15.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

$23.58 ₡10.8K

-19.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.97

$9.93 ₡4,554

-7.55%

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

$614 €533

$568 ₡260.4K

8.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$9,156 ₡4.2M

75.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$62.8 ₡28.8K

66.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.49

$52.0 ₡23.8K

-19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$128 ₡58.5K

-26.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$107 ₡49.2K

11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

$760 ₡348.5K

114.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

$591 ₡271.0K

112.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

$1,502 ₡688.7K

101.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

$945 ₡433.3K

113.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,766

$3,560 ₡1.6M

119.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

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 1, 2026

Last update for Playa Flamingo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $760 in Playa Flamingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in Playa Flamingo. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $366, 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 ($2,210 vs $1,564 including rent). Playa Flamingo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $2,346 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $760 in Playa Flamingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,564 in Playa Flamingo – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,564 in Playa Flamingo versus $2,210 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.