😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,237 in Rosarito.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $2,006 in Rosarito.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,774 in Rosarito.
🌍Living in Lisbon is roughly 87% more expensive than in Rosarito, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Rosarito is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.30€14.89
$12.81MX$216
35.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.3€54.4
$37.48MX$633
68.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.39€9.80
$10.75MX$181
5.95%
Cappuccino
$3.19€2.75
$4.48MX$75.7
-28.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45€2.10
$1.49MX$25.15
64.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76€1.52
$1.25MX$21.09
40.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.59€3.09
$3.63MX$61.3
-1.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39€2.92
$7.08MX$119
-52.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.06
$1.87MX$31.64
-33.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.98€1.71
$3.12MX$52.7
-36.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.52€1.31
$1.86MX$31.47
-18.28%
Eggs
$4.04€3.48
$3.41MX$57.6
18.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.54€11.65
$8.89MX$150
52.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.39€7.22
$7.92MX$134
5.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.25€15.70
$12.60MX$213
44.84%
Apples(1kg)
$2.29€1.97
$3.13MX$52.8
-26.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.74€1.50
$1.77MX$29.82
-1.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.86€1.60
$2.07MX$34.92
-10.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.63€2.26
$1.76MX$29.69
49.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$1.60MX$27.01
20.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.09€1.80
$1.91MX$32.28
9.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.44€1.24
$1.63MX$27.56
-11.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84€0.72
$1.08MX$18.23
-22.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78€5.83
$4.59MX$77.5
47.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.71€4.91
$8.67MX$146
-34.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38€1.18
$2.34MX$39.48
-41.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22€1.91
$4.36MX$73.7
-49.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.40€2.06
$0.60MX$10.21
300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.78€40.25
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.17€3.59
$3.03MX$51.1
37.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.14€0.98
$2.36MX$39.84
-51.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.68€15.21
$11.84MX$200
49.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.32€2.00
$1.44MX$24.22
61.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K€30.4K
$22.7KMX$382.7K
55.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.4K€35.7K
$26.3KMX$444.2K
57.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$170€147
$51.7MX$873
229.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.34€16.64
$36.53MX$617
-47.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.64€28.95
$31.93MX$539
5.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.10€41.39
$41.73MX$704
15.26%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.90€17.12
$20.65MX$348
-3.63%
Cinema Ticket
$9.92€8.54
$7.35MX$124
34.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$717€617
$216MX$3,651
231.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.5K€15.0K
$4,979MX$84.0K
251.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105€90.2
$57.6MX$972
81.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.95€40.40
$49.44MX$834
-5.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€89.0
$110MX$1,849
-5.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124€107
$73.7MX$1,243
68.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,677€1,443
$648MX$10.9K
158.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,271€1,094
$361MX$6,090
252.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,985€2,568
$1,105MX$18.6K
170.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,992€1,715
$917MX$15.5K
117.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,826€6,734
$2,008MX$33.9K
289.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,658€4,008
$1,419MX$24.0K
228.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Rosarito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,583€1,362
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.79
12.07
-68.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026
Last update for Rosarito: September 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $648 in Rosarito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $37.00 in Rosarito. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $284, 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 Rosarito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Rosarito?
Lisbon and Rosarito differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,237 including rent). Rosarito is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Rosarito?
You'd need roughly $3,474 in Lisbon and $1,855 in Rosarito 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Rosarito?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $648 in Rosarito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Rosarito?
All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $1,237 in Rosarito – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,237 in Rosarito versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rosarito but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rosarito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Rosarito?
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.
Is Lisbon or Rosarito safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Rosarito are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Rosarito?
Expats usually find Rosarito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.