Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Turrialba Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Turrialba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,774 in Turrialba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,783 in Turrialba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,792 in Turrialba.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 29% more expensive than in Turrialba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Turrialba 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$12.35 ₡5,488

42.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$60.0 ₡26.7K

4.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.43 ₡5,080

1.31%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.47 ₡1,988

-30.65%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.69 ₡1,196

-7.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.88 ₡837

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$3.26 ₡1,447

6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.55 ₡2,024

-24.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.47 ₡1,096

-53.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.16 ₡1,407

-39.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.50 ₡1,112

-40.00%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.48 ₡1,545

14.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$10.83 ₡4,812

22.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.70 ₡4,756

-25.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$14.15 ₡6,287

27.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$5.12 ₡2,276

-54.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.65 ₡734

6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$4.88 ₡2,168

-62.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.90 ₡1,735

-34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.98 ₡1,770

-53.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.69 ₡1,640

-43.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.14 ₡507

30.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$3.29 ₡1,461

-75.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.95 ₡2,645

19.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$20.71 ₡9,206

-71.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.94 ₡1,305

-55.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.56 ₡1,581

-40.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.22 ₡541

93.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.52 ₡1,121

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.63 ₡723

-30.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$8.75 ₡3,887

95.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.54 ₡685

50.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$22.2K ₡9.9M

53.61%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$35.5K ₡15.8M

16.39%

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

$169 €147

$94.2 ₡41.8K

79.00%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$36.52 ₡16.2K

-47.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$63.0 ₡28.0K

-46.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$66.8 ₡29.7K

-26.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.23 ₡3,658

16.28%

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

$696 €607

$991 ₡440.5K

-29.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$17.5K ₡7.8M

-1.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$71.0 ₡31.5K

48.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$56.7 ₡25.2K

-15.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$131 ₡58.2K

-23.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$135 ₡60.1K

-7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$849 ₡377.3K

95.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$728 ₡323.4K

71.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,951 ₡866.9K

51.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,150 ₡511.3K

78.08%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

8.78

-56.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Turrialba: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $849 in Turrialba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in Turrialba. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $410, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Turrialba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Turrialba differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,774 including rent). Turrialba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $2,660 in Turrialba 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $849 in Turrialba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 48% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,774 in Turrialba – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,774 in Turrialba versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Turrialba but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Turrialba 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 Turrialba 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 Turrialba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.