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 $786 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,260 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,734 in San Juan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 183% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, San Juan is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.81

$2.72 ₱166

494.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.1

$8.60 ₱526

650.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.86

$3.63 ₱222

185.95%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.85 ₱174

-2.81%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.83 ₱51.1

171.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$0.48 ₱29.24

227.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$1.43 ₱87.8

144.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.42

$2.11 ₱129

89.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.81 ₱111

-40.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.56 ₱95.7

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$0.98 ₱60.1

77.55%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.71

$2.01 ₱123

58.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.47

$7.85 ₱480

71.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.83

$5.03 ₱308

58.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

$10.44 ₱639

54.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.27 ₱139

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.55 ₱94.9

10.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$3.20 ₱195

-39.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$1.20 ₱73.3

111.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

$1.72 ₱105

6.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$3.62 ₱221

-43.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.12 ₱68.7

76.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.83 ₱50.6

2.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

$2.91 ₱178

135.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.93

$7.60 ₱465

-23.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.68 ₱41.73

101.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.64 ₱100

76.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.18 ₱11.06

1166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

$0.74 ₱45.05

451.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.24 ₱14.74

241.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.60

$2.10 ₱128

770.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.12 ₱68.8

79.46%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

$28.8K ₱1.8M

22.31%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$17.7K ₱1.1M

117.29%

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

$145 €124

$128 ₱7,808

13.92%

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

$20.96 €17.90

$33.27 ₱2,035

-37.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.21

$26.17 ₱1,601

53.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.66

$70.7 ₱4,327

-31.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

$4.49 ₱275

316.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.74

$3.89 ₱238

132.90%

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

$607 €518

$149 ₱9,140

305.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$4,301 ₱263.2K

279.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$45.82 ₱2,803

128.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

$34.57 ₱2,115

18.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €79.9

$67.7 ₱4,142

38.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$116 ₱7,123

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,370

$263 ₱16.1K

510.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,055

$107 ₱6,523

1058.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,601

$1,295 ₱79.2K

135.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,756

$393 ₱24.0K

423.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

$2,060 ₱126.0K

274.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

$251 ₱15.4K

530.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.17

-38.25%

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 $263 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 531% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $9.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $214 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 183% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $786 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 531% more on average, 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $263 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $786 in San Juan – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $786 in San Juan versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 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 183% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.