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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $906 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,485 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,063 in San Isidro.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 144% more expensive than San Isidro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, San Isidro is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$8.94 ARS 12.9K

77.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$30.59 ARS 44.0K

111.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$9.15 ARS 13.2K

14.86%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.69 ARS 2,430

69.82%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.34 ARS 1,922

67.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.18 ARS 1,699

27.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.21 ARS 1,739

188.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.82 ARS 4,063

37.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.23 ARS 1,773

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.63 ARS 2,350

7.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.83 ARS 2,638

-3.83%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.18 ARS 3,132

47.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$11.99 ARS 17.3K

12.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.94 ARS 8,545

33.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$9.51 ARS 13.7K

66.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.80 ARS 2,596

28.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.05 ARS 2,946

-17.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.92 ARS 1,317

118.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.63 ARS 3,781

-6.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.48 ARS 2,133

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.44 ARS 2,078

38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.87 ARS 1,256

121.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.45 ARS 2,082

-45.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$3.27 ARS 4,708

102.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$4.64 ARS 6,678

23.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.24 ARS 1,778

10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.06 ARS 4,406

-2.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.79 ARS 1,133

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.58 ARS 2,279

171.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.93 ARS 1,335

-11.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$5.86 ARS 8,428

212.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.02 ARS 1,471

101.96%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$24.3K ARS 35.0M

41.07%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$26.5K ARS 38.1M

48.50%

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

$148 €127

$56.4 ARS 81.1K

162.37%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$18.31 ARS 26.3K

12.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$14.83 ARS 21.3K

167.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$26.11 ARS 37.6K

83.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$13.67 ARS 19.7K

38.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$4.98 ARS 7,170

84.34%

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

$614 €529

$323 ARS 465.1K

89.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,085 ARS 1.6M

1379.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$80.6 ARS 116.0K

29.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$68.7 ARS 98.9K

-38.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$107 ARS 154.5K

-12.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$96.0 ARS 138.1K

24.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$334 ARS 480.3K

387.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$233 ARS 335.1K

438.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$678 ARS 975.6K

346.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$533 ARS 767.2K

278.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$2,002 ARS 2.9M

289.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,825 ARS 4.1M

51.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$592 ARS 851.0K

171.04%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $334 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 171% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $31.00 in San Isidro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 144% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $906 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 171% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $334 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $906 in San Isidro – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $906 in San Isidro versus $2,210 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 144% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.