Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Isidro Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Isidro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $888 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,460 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,033 in San Isidro.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 158% more expensive than in San Isidro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, San Isidro is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$8.82 ARS 13.0K

83.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$29.44 ARS 43.5K

115.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$8.82 ARS 13.0K

17.01%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.63 ARS 2,402

73.62%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.26 ARS 1,865

81.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.18 ARS 1,740

33.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.20 ARS 1,771

183.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.79 ARS 4,126

44.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.26 ARS 1,868

-13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.63 ARS 2,404

7.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.78 ARS 2,635

-1.12%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.23 ARS 3,292

42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$12.18 ARS 18.0K

8.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$5.83 ARS 8,617

36.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

62.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.88 ARS 2,775

26.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.01 ARS 2,968

-14.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.92 ARS 1,355

118.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.51 ARS 3,710

-3.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.44 ARS 2,134

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.37 ARS 2,024

48.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.88 ARS 1,304

118.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.42 ARS 2,105

-40.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.15 ARS 4,659

108.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$4.78 ARS 7,060

16.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.26 ARS 1,858

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.16 ARS 4,671

-6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.82 ARS 1,206

178.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.59 ARS 2,345

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.92 ARS 1,367

-11.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$6.16 ARS 9,107

199.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.07 ARS 1,588

94.39%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$24.0K ARS 35.5M

44.37%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$26.2K ARS 38.7M

49.54%

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

$148 €130

$54.8 ARS 81.0K

170.16%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$18.16 ARS 26.8K

12.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$14.69 ARS 21.7K

169.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

84.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$13.55 ARS 20.0K

37.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$4.86 ARS 7,180

89.71%

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

$616 €539

$322 ARS 475.4K

91.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,079 ARS 1.6M

1424.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$81.4 ARS 120.3K

26.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$70.2 ARS 103.7K

-40.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$107 ARS 158.8K

-11.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$93.1 ARS 137.6K

31.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$331 ARS 488.9K

393.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$240 ARS 354.1K

414.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$686 ARS 1.0M

351.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$528 ARS 779.8K

285.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$2,320 ARS 3.4M

237.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$1,567 ARS 2.3M

180.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$590 ARS 871.4K

172.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

52.71

-92.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $331 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 173% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $29.00 in San Isidro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $227 per month, with San Isidro 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 San Isidro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Isidro differ by about 158% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $888 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 173% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $331 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $888 in San Isidro – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $888 in San Isidro versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Isidro but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Isidro 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 San Isidro 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 San Isidro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.