🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Luquillo versus $2,210 in Lisbon.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,998 in Luquillo versus $3,311 in Lisbon.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,754 in Luquillo versus $4,411 in Lisbon.
🙂Living in Luquillo costs roughly 44% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Luquillo is 7% below, Lisbon is 65% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.65$18.65
$15.91€13.69
17.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.4$74.4
$64.8€55.7
14.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.48$7.48
$10.51€9.04
-28.83%
Cappuccino
$3.54$3.54
$2.87€2.47
23.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27$1.27
$2.24€1.93
-43.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06$1.06
$1.50€1.29
-29.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.04$3.04
$3.49€3.00
-12.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$3.88€3.34
-50.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.47$2.47
$1.14€0.98
116.67%
White Bread(500g)
$3.33$3.33
$1.75€1.51
90.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19$2.19
$1.76€1.51
24.43%
Eggs
$5.96$5.96
$3.22€2.77
85.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.59$8.59
$13.49€11.61
-36.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.38$8.38
$7.91€6.81
5.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.55$12.55
$15.87€13.65
-20.92%
Apples(1kg)
$5.77$5.77
$2.31€1.99
149.78%
Banana(1kg)
$2.70$2.70
$1.70€1.46
58.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.98$3.98
$2.01€1.73
98.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.04$4.04
$2.46€2.12
64.23%
Potato(1kg)
$3.93$3.93
$1.84€1.59
113.59%
Onion(1kg)
$2.67$2.67
$2.00€1.72
33.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49$1.49
$1.93€1.66
-22.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.00$2.00
$0.79€0.68
153.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.06$12.06
$6.61€5.68
82.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.81$11.81
$5.72€4.92
106.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.56$2.56
$1.37€1.17
86.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24$3.24
$2.97€2.56
9.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.37€2.04
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$60.4$60.4
$45.56€39.19
32.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$4.29€3.69
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.47$1.47
$0.82€0.70
79.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.95$14.95
$18.30€15.74
-18.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.85$0.85
$2.06€1.78
-58.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K$35.4K
$34.3K€29.5K
3.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K$26.4K
$39.3K€33.8K
-32.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$225$225
$148€127
52.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$78.0$78.0
$20.52€17.65
280.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.6$72.6
$39.61€34.08
83.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.60$36.60
$47.85€41.16
-23.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.92€16.28
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.19$12.19
$9.18€7.90
32.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$461$461
$614€528
-24.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5K$10.5K
$16.0K€13.8K
-34.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.94$45.94
$105€90.0
-56.11%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.9$56.9
$42.06€36.18
35.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.8$81.8
$94.0€80.8
-12.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108$108
$120€103
-9.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$799$799
$1,628€1,400
-50.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,255€1,080
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,826$1,826
$3,030€2,607
-39.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,020€1,738
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$7,800€6,709
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$4,273€3,675
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Luquillo
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,999$2,999
$1,603€1,379
87.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.73
3.81
24.15%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Luquillo: May 30, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $799 in Luquillo and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Luquillo pays 87% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $74.0 in Luquillo vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon 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
Luquillo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Luquillo and Lisbon?
Luquillo and Lisbon differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,241 vs $2,210 including rent). Luquillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Luquillo or Lisbon?
Luquillo pays 87% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Luquillo and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $799 in Luquillo versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Luquillo and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $461 in Luquillo versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,241 in Luquillo versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Luquillo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Luquillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Luquillo and Lisbon?
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.
Is Luquillo or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Luquillo and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Luquillo or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Luquillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.