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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,751 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,750 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,749 in San Juan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 31% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, San Juan 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$12.38 ₡5,502

42.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$59.8 ₡26.6K

5.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.41 ₡5,069

1.49%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.48 ₡1,990

-30.80%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.60 ₡1,157

-4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.88 ₡833

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$3.31 ₡1,470

5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.55 ₡2,022

-24.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.34 ₡1,038

-50.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.12 ₡1,385

-38.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.43 ₡1,078

-38.27%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.60 ₡1,601

10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$10.66 ₡4,738

24.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.58 ₡4,702

-24.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$14.42 ₡6,407

25.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$5.26 ₡2,340

-55.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.59 ₡705

10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$4.72 ₡2,100

-60.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.97 ₡1,762

-35.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.95 ₡1,755

-53.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.80 ₡1,689

-44.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.09 ₡486

36.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$3.26 ₡1,447

-74.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$6.14 ₡2,731

15.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$20.64 ₡9,174

-71.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.80 ₡1,245

-53.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.76 ₡1,672

-43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.28 ₡570

84.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.54 ₡1,130

60.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.59 ₡708

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$8.76 ₡3,893

95.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.50 ₡665

54.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$22.1K ₡9.8M

54.16%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$34.4K ₡15.3M

20.22%

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

$169 €147

$97.5 ₡43.3K

72.85%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$36.69 ₡16.3K

-47.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$63.3 ₡28.1K

-47.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$67.4 ₡30.0K

-27.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.22 ₡3,655

16.42%

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

$696 €607

$1,003 ₡445.6K

-30.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$17.5K ₡7.8M

-1.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$73.3 ₡32.6K

43.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$56.6 ₡25.2K

-15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$132 ₡58.6K

-23.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$132 ₡58.8K

-5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$865 ₡384.6K

92.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$614 ₡272.8K

103.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,890 ₡840.1K

56.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,242 ₡552.1K

64.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

8.78

-56.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $865 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in San Juan. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $407, 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Juan differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,751 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $2,626 in San Juan 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $865 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 47% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,751 in San Juan – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,751 in San Juan versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $3,000 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 31% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.