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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,053 in San Juan del Sur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,662 in San Juan del Sur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,271 in San Juan del Sur.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 118% more expensive than in San Juan del Sur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, San Juan del Sur is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$4.24 NIO 155

314.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$33.90 NIO 1,242

85.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$5.62 NIO 206

106.05%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.56 NIO 93.8

21.09%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.90 NIO 32.79

176.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.73 NIO 26.56

138.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.46 NIO 53.5

138.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.97 NIO 72.0

74.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.24 NIO 45.33

-7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.49 NIO 54.6

28.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.22 NIO 44.54

22.95%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.29 NIO 83.7

73.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$7.77 NIO 285

71.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.45 NIO 236

24.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$7.21 NIO 264

150.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.62 NIO 133

-35.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.57 NIO 21.05

207.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.85 NIO 67.9

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.19 NIO 80.3

16.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.14 NIO 115

-41.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.20 NIO 80.5

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.00 NIO 36.60

49.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.02 NIO 37.51

-19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.59 NIO 94.7

174.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$9.74 NIO 357

-39.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.41 NIO 51.6

-7.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.33 NIO 85.2

-8.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.68 NIO 61.5

142.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.60 NIO 58.6

-28.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$6.68 NIO 245

155.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.35 NIO 49.27

71.11%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$23.3K NIO 853.2K

46.50%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$26.3K NIO 962.9K

57.38%

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

$169 €147

$60.4 NIO 2,212

179.10%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$10.53 NIO 386

83.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$36.64 NIO 1,342

-8.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$29.97 NIO 1,098

62.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.38 NIO 307

14.20%

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

$696 €607

$240 NIO 8,802

189.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,957 NIO 218.2K

191.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$70.3 NIO 2,574

49.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$71.9 NIO 2,633

-33.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$131 NIO 4,810

-23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$109 NIO 3,975

14.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$424 NIO 15.5K

291.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$383 NIO 14.0K

225.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$919 NIO 33.7K

222.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$771 NIO 28.2K

165.76%

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

$343 NIO 12.6K

375.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

10.25

-63.12%

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 del Sur: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $424 in San Juan del Sur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 375% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in San Juan del Sur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $220 per month, with San Juan del Sur 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 del Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Juan del Sur differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,053 including rent). San Juan del Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 375% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $424 in San Juan del Sur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,053 in San Juan del Sur – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,053 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan del Sur but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan del Sur 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 del Sur 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 del Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.