Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Puerto Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Puerto Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $836 in Puerto Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,299 in Puerto Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,761 in Puerto Plata.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 177% more expensive than in Puerto Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Puerto Plata is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$6.10 DOP 360

183.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$38.74 DOP 2,286

63.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$6.91 DOP 408

64.83%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.24 DOP 73.0

157.26%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.50 DOP 29.47

390.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.64 DOP 37.53

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.51 DOP 148

43.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.38 DOP 199

0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.29 DOP 75.9

-3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.57 DOP 92.8

26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.71 DOP 42.07

114.08%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.43 DOP 84.4

182.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$4.51 DOP 266

200.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$3.89 DOP 230

115.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$3.42 DOP 202

433.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.33 DOP 78.5

72.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.65 DOP 38.34

167.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.84 DOP 49.50

121.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.70 DOP 41.03

275.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.65 DOP 38.12

195.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.89 DOP 52.6

134.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.62 DOP 36.61

132.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.98 DOP 57.8

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.51 DOP 148

170.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$8.71 DOP 514

-34.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.31 DOP 136

-40.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$3.07 DOP 181

-27.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.05 DOP 61.8

128.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$3.47 DOP 205

20.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.33 DOP 137

-51.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$5.78 DOP 341

205.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.23 DOP 72.4

88.62%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$24.0K DOP 1.4M

47.48%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$34.7K DOP 2.0M

19.38%

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

$170 €147

$93.3 DOP 5,501

82.66%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$17.30 DOP 1,021

11.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$37.20 DOP 2,195

-9.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$7.65 DOP 452

29.67%

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

$717 €617

$255 DOP 15.1K

180.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$7,105 DOP 419.2K

145.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$18.45 DOP 1,088

467.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$13.35 DOP 788

251.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$87.5 DOP 5,164

18.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$126 DOP 7,444

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$419 DOP 24.7K

300.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$298 DOP 17.6K

327.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$1,010 DOP 59.6K

195.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$552 DOP 32.6K

260.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

13.56

-72.05%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Puerto Plata: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $419 in Puerto Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Puerto Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $151 per month, with Puerto Plata 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 Puerto Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Puerto Plata differ by about 177% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $836 including rent). Puerto Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,474 in Lisbon and $1,255 in Puerto Plata 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $419 in Puerto Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $836 in Puerto Plata – a 177% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $836 in Puerto Plata versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puerto Plata but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Plata 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 Puerto Plata 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 Puerto Plata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.