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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $868 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,372 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,877 in San Juan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 161% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, San Juan is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$7.11 ARS 10.7K

146.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$40.20 ARS 60.6K

60.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$12.48 ARS 18.8K

-6.65%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.58 ARS 3,890

26.36%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.19 ARS 3,301

13.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.75 ARS 2,640

-4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.95 ARS 5,959

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.40 ARS 6,638

-18.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.32 ARS 1,998

-10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.41 ARS 2,124

38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.41 ARS 2,123

10.64%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.46 ARS 2,201

174.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$2.79 ARS 4,207

375.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.28 ARS 9,467

34.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.79 ARS 16.3K

68.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.39 ARS 2,092

66.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.45 ARS 2,183

19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.35 ARS 2,030

42.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.41 ARS 2,120

87.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.39 ARS 2,098

36.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.44 ARS 2,173

46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.39 ARS 2,100

3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.45 ARS 2,195

-44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.83 ARS 4,263

147.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$5.07 ARS 7,642

16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.44 ARS 2,175

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.41 ARS 2,122

52.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.03 ARS 1,547

131.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.02 ARS 3,046

107.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.98 ARS 1,478

12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$4.86 ARS 7,328

255.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.12 ARS 1,687

100.89%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

29.49%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$33.1K ARS 50.0M

25.65%

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

$171 €147

$137 ARS 206.8K

24.63%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$10.18 ARS 15.4K

86.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$18.04 ARS 27.2K

90.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$29.82 ARS 45.0K

66.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$7.17 ARS 10.8K

40.86%

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

$699 €603

$173 ARS 260.7K

304.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$4,198 ARS 6.3M

323.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$106 ARS 159.8K

-1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$43.07 ARS 65.0K

11.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$57.7 ARS 87.0K

76.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$35.91 ARS 54.2K

257.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$250 ARS 376.9K

564.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$203 ARS 305.6K

506.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$507 ARS 765.1K

474.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$395 ARS 595.1K

412.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$686 ARS 1.0M

135.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-93.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $250 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 136% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $40.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $189 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Juan differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $868 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 136% 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $250 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% 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 $868 in San Juan – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $868 in San Juan versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan 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 Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.