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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,061 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,762 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,462 in San Isidro.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 114% more expensive than in San Isidro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, San Isidro is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$10.10 ARS 15.2K

73.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$37.19 ARS 56.1K

73.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.54 ARS 17.4K

0.95%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.94 ARS 4,436

10.88%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.77 ARS 2,676

40.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.69 ARS 2,543

-1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.63 ARS 5,482

-4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.32 ARS 3,493

54.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.26 ARS 1,903

-6.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.57 ARS 2,372

24.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.58 ARS 2,380

-1.27%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.25 ARS 3,394

78.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$8.30 ARS 12.5K

59.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$5.83 ARS 8,801

44.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.65 ARS 16.1K

71.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.91 ARS 2,878

21.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.53 ARS 2,315

13.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.07 ARS 1,614

80.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.12 ARS 3,202

24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.97 ARS 1,469

95.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.69 ARS 1,036

205.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.47 ARS 2,217

-2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.68 ARS 2,541

-52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.33 ARS 5,030

110.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.87 ARS 7,351

21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.21 ARS 1,833

12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.69 ARS 4,059

-20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.98 ARS 1,482

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.57 ARS 2,370

166.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.98 ARS 1,480

12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$7.96 ARS 12.0K

116.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.11 ARS 1,674

102.70%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$28.4K ARS 42.9M

21.22%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$29.8K ARS 45.0M

39.51%

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

$171 €147

$59.4 ARS 89.5K

187.87%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$19.88 ARS 30.0K

-4.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$27.56 ARS 41.6K

24.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$30.16 ARS 45.5K

64.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.71 ARS 7,105

114.44%

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

$699 €603

$295 ARS 445.0K

136.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$8,833 ARS 13.3M

101.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$88.8 ARS 134.0K

17.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$59.2 ARS 89.3K

-18.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$115 ARS 174.2K

-11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$136 ARS 205.1K

-5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$472 ARS 712.7K

251.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$310 ARS 467.5K

296.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,004 ARS 1.5M

190.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$776 ARS 1.2M

160.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,405 ARS 3.6M

237.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

56.56

-93.32%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $472 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $37.00 in San Isidro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $215 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 114% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,061 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $1,592 in San Isidro 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $472 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,061 in San Isidro – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,061 in San Isidro versus $2,268 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 114% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.