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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $922 in San José.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,443 in San José.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,965 in San José.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 146% more expensive than in San José, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, San José is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.09

$14.73 UYU 592

19.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.5

$37.51 UYU 1,509

71.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.01

$12.66 UYU 509

-7.98%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.80

$4.95 UYU 199

-34.14%

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

$2.49 €2.14

$2.40 UYU 96.7

3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.43 UYU 97.6

-31.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.84 UYU 154

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.07

$5.67 UYU 228

-36.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.99 UYU 40.02

19.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.67

$2.04 UYU 82.1

-4.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.47 UYU 59.0

6.12%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.45

$2.63 UYU 106

52.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.41

$11.97 UYU 482

10.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.24

$7.53 UYU 303

11.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.68

$11.67 UYU 469

56.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.26 UYU 50.8

84.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.47 UYU 59.0

17.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.26 UYU 50.8

53.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.53 UYU 61.7

72.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.01 UYU 40.57

88.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.26 UYU 50.5

67.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.50 UYU 60.3

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.87 UYU 75.4

-57.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.03

$9.83 UYU 395

-28.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.09

$7.95 UYU 320

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$3.12 UYU 126

-56.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.26 UYU 131

-34.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.60

$3.50 UYU 141

19.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.94

$3.51 UYU 141

-68.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.84

$10.15 UYU 408

70.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.93

$2.13 UYU 85.7

5.63%

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

$34.5K €29.6K

$36.1K UYU 1.5M

-4.47%

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

$41.6K €35.8K

$40.1K UYU 1.6M

3.82%

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

$171 €147

$115 UYU 4,614

48.97%

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

$19.01 €16.34

$23.50 UYU 945

-19.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.48

$46.61 UYU 1,875

-26.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.69

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.77

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.68

$12.58 UYU 506

-19.71%

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

$699 €601

$488 UYU 19.6K

43.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$6,611 UYU 265.9K

168.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.9

$89.7 UYU 3,606

16.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.24

$36.59 UYU 1,472

31.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

$166 UYU 6,669

-38.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

$117 UYU 4,697

9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,056

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,506

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,740

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €6,989

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,985

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,392

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-24.40%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for San José: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in San José for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $255 per month, with San José 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 José: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San José differ by about 146% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $922 including rent). San José 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 $1,383 in San José 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% 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 $922 in San José – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $922 in San José versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San José but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San José 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 José 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 José gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.