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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $899 in San Rafael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,427 in San Rafael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,955 in San Rafael.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 146% more expensive than San Rafael, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, San Rafael is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$10.06 ARS 14.4K

58.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$19.79 ARS 28.2K

227.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.10 ARS 8,704

72.30%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.83 ARS 2,615

56.83%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.02 ARS 1,454

119.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.03 ARS 1,465

45.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$0.98 ARS 1,403

256.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.47 ARS 2,097

163.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.05 ARS 1,494

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.49 ARS 2,119

17.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.38 ARS 1,974

27.54%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.58 ARS 2,249

103.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$5.64 ARS 8,047

139.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.62 ARS 10.9K

3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.45 ARS 9,205

146.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.79 ARS 2,548

29.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.47 ARS 2,091

15.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.51 ARS 2,156

33.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.85 ARS 1,217

189.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.65 ARS 922

183.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.71 ARS 1,019

181.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.61 ARS 868

216.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.24 ARS 1,764

-36.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.74 ARS 2,478

279.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$4.96 ARS 7,069

15.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.08 ARS 1,534

26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.66 ARS 2,373

78.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.78 ARS 1,106

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.41 ARS 585

946.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.98 ARS 1,403

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$4.94 ARS 7,050

270.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.90 ARS 1,287

128.89%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$31.8K ARS 45.4M

7.77%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$33.4K ARS 47.7M

17.52%

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

$148 €127

$76.9 ARS 109.7K

92.26%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$6.92 ARS 9,874

196.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$15.55 ARS 22.2K

154.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$25.95 ARS 37.0K

84.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$13.87 ARS 19.8K

36.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.88 ARS 8,384

56.12%

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

$614 €528

$104 ARS 148.7K

488.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$2,181 ARS 3.1M

635.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$83.2 ARS 118.7K

25.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$76.4 ARS 108.9K

-44.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$149 ARS 212.4K

-36.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$118 ARS 168.4K

1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$338 ARS 482.1K

381.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$242 ARS 344.7K

419.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$693 ARS 989.0K

337.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$531 ARS 757.3K

280.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$2,059 ARS 2.9M

278.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $338 in San Rafael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in San Rafael for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 146% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $899 including rent). San Rafael is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,349 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: $1,628 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 51% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $899 in San Rafael – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in San Rafael versus $2,210 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 146% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.