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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,592 in Turrialba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,414 in Turrialba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $3,236 in Turrialba.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 40% more expensive than Turrialba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Turrialba 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$11.05 ₡5,027

46.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$60.8 ₡27.7K

6.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.88 ₡4,494

5.06%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.93 ₡1,786

-29.52%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.96 ₡891

14.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.57 ₡715

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.89 ₡1,316

20.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$4.78 ₡2,175

-16.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.98 ₡900

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.85 ₡1,295

-38.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.13 ₡970

-18.31%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.01 ₡1,367

5.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.70 ₡4,410

38.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$8.87 ₡4,034

-9.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.49 ₡6,133

19.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.42 ₡2,010

-48.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.44 ₡655

19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$4.32 ₡1,964

-55.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$3.44 ₡1,565

-26.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.43 ₡1,560

-46.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.24 ₡1,472

-37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.96 ₡438

106.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.81 ₡1,278

-69.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.40 ₡2,455

26.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$21.72 ₡9,876

-73.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.45 ₡1,113

-44.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.93 ₡1,331

-1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.97 ₡440

135.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.87 ₡850

118.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.86 ₡846

-55.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$7.68 ₡3,492

137.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.41 ₡643

42.55%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$37.1K ₡16.9M

-4.86%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$32.0K ₡14.6M

20.15%

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

$145 €124

$93.4 ₡42.5K

55.62%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$25.47 ₡11.6K

-17.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$60.4 ₡27.5K

-33.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$57.8 ₡26.3K

-15.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$23.80 ₡10.8K

-21.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$9.98 ₡4,537

-9.22%

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

$607 €519

$576 ₡261.8K

5.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.5K ₡5.7M

30.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$61.3 ₡27.9K

70.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$51.6 ₡23.5K

-20.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$125 ₡57.0K

-25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$109 ₡49.4K

9.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$751 ₡341.6K

113.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$608 ₡276.4K

103.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,499 ₡681.8K

103.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$979 ₡445.1K

110.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.17

-62.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Turrialba: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $751 in Turrialba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $61.0 in Turrialba. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $364, 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 40% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,592 including rent). Turrialba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $2,388 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $751 in Turrialba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,592 in Turrialba – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,592 in Turrialba versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 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 40% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.