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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,593 in Turrialba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $2,436 in Turrialba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $3,278 in Turrialba.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 42% more expensive than Turrialba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Turrialba 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$10.85 ₡4,903

46.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$58.5 ₡26.4K

8.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$9.93 ₡4,487

4.53%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$3.92 ₡1,773

-28.83%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$2.04 ₡920

14.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.60 ₡722

-1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$3.05 ₡1,378

12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.56 ₡2,060

-14.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.99 ₡898

-45.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.91 ₡1,315

-39.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.23 ₡1,005

-23.32%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.90 ₡1,311

8.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$10.20 ₡4,608

34.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$9.20 ₡4,155

-12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$13.45 ₡6,075

15.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$4.58 ₡2,071

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.47 ₡662

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$4.30 ₡1,944

-54.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$3.45 ₡1,557

-27.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$3.37 ₡1,524

-46.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.12 ₡1,409

-35.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.97 ₡437

103.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.84 ₡1,284

-70.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$5.29 ₡2,392

28.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$22.00 ₡9,942

-74.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.53 ₡1,145

-45.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.80 ₡1,266

7.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.97 ₡439

134.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.80 ₡815

138.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.87 ₡846

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$8.01 ₡3,618

128.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.40 ₡633

42.14%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$37.7K ₡17.0M

-6.96%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$31.9K ₡14.4M

23.89%

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

$146 €126

$93.6 ₡42.3K

56.18%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$25.83 ₡11.7K

-20.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$58.5 ₡26.4K

-33.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$57.6 ₡26.0K

-14.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$23.44 ₡10.6K

-19.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$10.06 ₡4,546

-5.37%

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

$608 €524

$563 ₡254.2K

8.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$12.5K ₡5.6M

32.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$63.2 ₡28.5K

64.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$51.2 ₡23.1K

-17.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$126 ₡57.1K

-26.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$106 ₡47.7K

13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$764 ₡345.0K

112.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$590 ₡266.4K

114.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,488 ₡672.5K

104.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$961 ₡434.1K

109.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Turrialba: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $764 in Turrialba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $59.0 in Turrialba. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $369, 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 42% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,593 including rent). Turrialba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $2,390 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $764 in Turrialba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $1,593 in Turrialba – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,593 in Turrialba versus $2,263 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 42% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.