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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,613 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,414 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $3,215 in San Juan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 38% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$11.04 ₡5,021

46.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$60.7 ₡27.6K

6.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.68 ₡4,400

7.23%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.86 ₡1,754

-28.24%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.03 ₡923

10.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.64 ₡744

-4.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.99 ₡1,361

16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$4.80 ₡2,181

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.05 ₡933

-47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.89 ₡1,315

-39.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.16 ₡984

-19.44%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.03 ₡1,378

4.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.75 ₡4,435

37.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$8.99 ₡4,086

-11.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.83 ₡6,289

16.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.58 ₡2,083

-50.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.51 ₡685

13.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$4.17 ₡1,895

-53.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$3.41 ₡1,550

-25.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.39 ₡1,541

-46.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.26 ₡1,482

-37.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.96 ₡438

106.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.81 ₡1,278

-69.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.14 ₡2,338

33.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$22.16 ₡10.1K

-73.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.44 ₡1,109

-43.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.92 ₡1,329

-0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.96 ₡436

137.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.78 ₡810

129.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.84 ₡838

-55.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$8.11 ₡3,686

125.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.45 ₡661

38.62%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$38.4K ₡17.5M

-8.12%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$32.5K ₡14.8M

18.26%

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

$145 €124

$92.1 ₡41.9K

57.87%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$26.19 ₡11.9K

-19.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$59.9 ₡27.2K

-33.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$57.2 ₡26.0K

-14.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$24.21 ₡11.0K

-22.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$10.07 ₡4,580

-10.03%

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

$607 €519

$560 ₡254.5K

8.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.5K ₡5.7M

31.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$63.1 ₡28.7K

65.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$52.2 ₡23.8K

-21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$124 ₡56.5K

-24.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$107 ₡48.6K

10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$759 ₡345.0K

111.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$605 ₡274.9K

104.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,514 ₡688.4K

101.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$949 ₡431.4K

116.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for San Juan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $759 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $61.0 in San Juan. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $368, 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 38% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,613 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $2,420 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $759 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,613 in San Juan – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,613 in San Juan versus $2,227 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 38% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.