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: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $1,594 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $2,402 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $3,211 in San Isidro.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 39% more expensive than San Isidro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, San Isidro 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$10.04 ₡4,531

57.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$52.4 ₡23.6K

19.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$10.17 ₡4,588

3.64%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$3.86 ₡1,743

-28.24%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$2.06 ₡929

10.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.63 ₡737

-4.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$3.04 ₡1,372

16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$4.57 ₡2,060

-12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.05 ₡924

-47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.85 ₡1,284

-37.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.23 ₡1,007

-20.63%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$3.03 ₡1,367

2.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$10.11 ₡4,563

31.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$9.19 ₡4,148

-13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$13.43 ₡6,060

18.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.51 ₡2,035

-49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.45 ₡652

13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$4.25 ₡1,916

-53.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.32 ₡1,497

-26.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.35 ₡1,513

-47.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.08 ₡1,388

-36.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.95 ₡427

107.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.85 ₡1,287

-71.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$5.02 ₡2,264

30.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$18.73 ₡8,448

-69.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$2.38 ₡1,075

-44.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.57 ₡1,157

16.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.04 ₡469

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$1.81 ₡817

135.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.78 ₡802

-52.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$7.70 ₡3,473

144.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.47 ₡662

40.82%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$37.4K ₡16.9M

-5.70%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$32.1K ₡14.5M

20.18%

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

$151 €130

$94.8 ₡42.8K

59.40%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$26.07 ₡11.8K

-19.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$53.1 ₡24.0K

-25.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$56.7 ₡25.6K

-14.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$23.78 ₡10.7K

-21.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$9.88 ₡4,457

-8.50%

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

$610 €525

$519 ₡234.2K

17.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.4K ₡5.6M

31.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$61.6 ₡27.8K

64.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$51.7 ₡23.3K

-21.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$124 ₡56.0K

-25.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$109 ₡49.3K

8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$755 ₡340.4K

112.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$602 ₡271.4K

105.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$1,515 ₡683.5K

99.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$946 ₡426.8K

117.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $755 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $52.0 in San Isidro. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $360, 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 San Isidro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Isidro differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $1,594 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $2,390 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $755 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $1,594 in San Isidro – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,594 in San Isidro versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,000 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 39% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.