Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Rafael Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Rafael

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $907 in San Rafael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,430 in San Rafael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,954 in San Rafael.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 153% more expensive than in San Rafael, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, San Rafael is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$9.97 ARS 14.7K

62.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$19.95 ARS 29.5K

217.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.97 ARS 8,817

72.86%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.76 ARS 2,606

60.80%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.01 ARS 1,494

126.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.97 ARS 1,440

62.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$0.98 ARS 1,452

246.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.47 ARS 2,177

174.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.02 ARS 1,507

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.55 ARS 2,284

12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.43 ARS 2,111

23.08%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.58 ARS 2,341

100.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$5.43 ARS 8,031

142.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$7.38 ARS 10.9K

7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$6.55 ARS 9,684

137.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.76 ARS 2,605

34.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.49 ARS 2,198

14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.47 ARS 2,172

36.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.92 ARS 1,356

164.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.70 ARS 1,030

151.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.69 ARS 1,015

194.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.61 ARS 895

214.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.28 ARS 1,888

-33.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.79 ARS 2,651

267.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$4.90 ARS 7,241

13.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.12 ARS 1,659

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.65 ARS 2,445

80.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.83 ARS 1,220

174.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.45 ARS 667

840.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.02 ARS 1,511

-20.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$4.78 ARS 7,059

285.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.83 ARS 1,228

150.60%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$31.5K ARS 46.6M

9.96%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$32.9K ARS 48.6M

19.07%

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

$148 €130

$77.6 ARS 114.6K

90.88%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$6.57 ARS 9,713

211.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$15.45 ARS 22.8K

156.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$26.43 ARS 39.1K

81.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$13.94 ARS 20.6K

33.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$5.89 ARS 8,703

56.54%

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

$616 €539

$102 ARS 151.2K

502.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,138 ARS 3.2M

669.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$81.1 ARS 119.8K

26.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$75.6 ARS 111.7K

-44.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$149 ARS 219.7K

-36.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$121 ARS 178.2K

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$338 ARS 499.6K

382.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$236 ARS 348.3K

422.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$676 ARS 999.0K

358.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$539 ARS 797.1K

276.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$2,551 ARS 3.8M

207.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

174.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-95.18%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $338 in San Rafael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in San Rafael for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $179 per month, with San Rafael 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 Rafael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Rafael differ by about 153% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $907 including rent). San Rafael is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $1,360 in San Rafael 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $338 in San Rafael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Lisbon. 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 $907 in San Rafael – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $907 in San Rafael versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Rafael but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Rafael 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 Rafael 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 Rafael gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.