Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Quesada Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Quesada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,517 in Quesada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,325 in Quesada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $3,134 in Quesada.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 47% more expensive than Quesada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Quesada 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$10.92 ₡4,967

48.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$60.0 ₡27.3K

7.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.91 ₡4,508

4.74%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.76 ₡1,711

-26.33%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.01 ₡912

11.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.64 ₡747

-4.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.90 ₡1,317

20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.21 ₡1,005

81.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.97 ₡894

-45.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.79 ₡1,269

-37.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.16 ₡982

-19.44%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.45 ₡1,114

29.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.89 ₡4,497

35.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$8.85 ₡4,024

-9.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.68 ₡6,222

17.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.53 ₡2,061

-49.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.47 ₡667

17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.00 ₡457

94.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$3.48 ₡1,582

-27.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.53 ₡1,607

-48.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.13 ₡1,422

-34.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.98 ₡445

102.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.79 ₡1,271

-69.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.40 ₡2,455

26.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$15.65 ₡7,118

-63.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.49 ₡1,132

-44.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.82 ₡1,281

2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.96 ₡438

137.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.35 ₡614

202.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.40 ₡637

-41.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$7.97 ₡3,624

129.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.46 ₡665

37.67%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$37.8K ₡17.2M

-6.79%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$32.1K ₡14.6M

20.08%

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

$145 €124

$94.1 ₡42.8K

54.45%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$26.13 ₡11.9K

-19.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$49.91 ₡22.7K

-19.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$38.99 ₡17.7K

25.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$24.22 ₡11.0K

-22.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.31 ₡2,413

70.62%

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

$607 €519

$225 ₡102.1K

170.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$3,785 ₡1.7M

331.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$61.4 ₡27.9K

70.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$52.3 ₡23.8K

-21.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$121 ₡54.9K

-22.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$101 ₡45.8K

17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$776 ₡353.0K

106.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$591 ₡268.7K

109.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,490 ₡677.4K

104.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$948 ₡431.1K

116.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$4,145 ₡1.9M

85.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$2,125 ₡966.4K

100.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

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 26, 2026

Last update for Quesada: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $776 in Quesada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in Quesada. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $338, 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 Quesada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Quesada differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,517 including rent). Quesada is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $2,275 in Quesada 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $776 in Quesada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,517 in Quesada – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,517 in Quesada versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quesada but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Quesada 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 Quesada 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 Quesada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.