Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Marcos, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Marcos, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,680 in San Marcos, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,885 in San Marcos, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $5,090 in San Marcos, TX.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 14% less than in San Marcos, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, San Marcos, TX 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$19.04 $19.04

-14.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$69.8 $69.8

-9.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$10.09 $10.09

2.28%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.91 $4.91

-42.36%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.71 $2.71

-15.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.13 $2.13

-25.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$5.96 $5.96

-42.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$7.19 $7.19

-43.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.96 $0.96

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.13 $3.13

-44.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.45 $3.45

-48.99%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.88 $3.88

-18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$9.63 $9.63

36.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$12.15 $12.15

-34.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$17.17 $17.17

-9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$4.25 $4.25

-44.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.21 $1.21

41.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$4.03 $4.03

-50.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.58 $2.58

-5.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.80 $2.80

-37.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.37 $2.37

-14.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.78 $1.78

7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$2.14 $2.14

-60.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$7.88 $7.88

-16.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$14.34 $14.34

-61.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.96 $1.96

-32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.80 $3.80

-21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.96 $1.96

16.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.91 $3.91

8.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.91 $1.91

-57.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$29.61 $29.61

-37.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.79 $0.79

163.29%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

8.70%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$25.1K $25.1K

56.06%

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

$148 €130

$192 $192

-23.03%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$62.3 $62.3

-67.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$65.9 $65.9

-39.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$70.2 $70.2

-31.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$15.02 $15.02

-38.62%

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

$616 €540

$667 $667

-7.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$19.2K $19.2K

-14.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$46.15 $46.15

122.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$44.19 $44.19

-5.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$97.6 $97.6

-2.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$124 $124

-1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,329 $1,329

22.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$1,388 $1,388

-11.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$3,025 $3,025

2.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$2,386 $2,386

-14.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$2,381 $2,381

228.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,863 $1,863

135.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$3,128 $3,128

-48.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.44

-40.84%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for San Marcos, TX: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,329 in San Marcos, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Marcos, TX pays 95% 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 $70.0 in San Marcos, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $361 per month, with Lisbon 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 Marcos, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Marcos, TX differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,680 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in San Marcos, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,329 in San Marcos, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in San Marcos, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $2,680 in San Marcos, TX – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,680 in San Marcos, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in San Marcos, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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 Marcos, TX 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in San Marcos, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.