Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,171 in Perez Zeledon versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,927 in Perez Zeledon versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,683 in Perez Zeledon versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Perez Zeledon costs roughly 47% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Perez Zeledon is 13% below, Lisbon is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 ₡3,088

$16.17 €13.81

-58.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.34 ₡17.9K

$64.6 €55.1

-39.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 ₡4,547

$10.38 €8.86

-3.85%

Cappuccino

$3.80 ₡1,732

$2.77 €2.37

37.18%

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

$1.45 ₡662

$2.25 €1.92

-35.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡726

$1.57 €1.34

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 ₡1,327

$3.49 €2.98

-16.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 ₡2,158

$4.00 €3.42

18.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡888

$1.08 €0.93

80.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,256

$1.74 €1.49

58.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡974

$1.74 €1.48

22.99%

Eggs

$2.53 ₡1,150

$3.18 €2.71

-20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₡3,731

$13.43 €11.47

-39.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 ₡4,106

$7.99 €6.83

12.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 ₡6,155

$16.09 €13.74

-16.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 ₡2,057

$2.28 €1.95

98.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ₡471

$1.72 €1.47

-40.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 ₡1,913

$1.94 €1.66

116.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,556

$2.54 €2.17

34.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 ₡1,297

$1.83 €1.56

55.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₡1,275

$2.04 €1.74

37.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 ₡174

$1.98 €1.69

-80.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,339

$0.85 €0.73

245.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,321

$6.85 €5.85

-25.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.95 ₡9,999

$5.78 €4.93

279.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₡978

$1.37 €1.17

56.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₡692

$2.90 €2.48

-47.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₡335

$2.28 €1.95

-67.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡843

$4.08 €3.48

-54.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡820

$0.82 €0.70

119.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₡3,691

$18.27 €15.60

-55.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡636

$2.01 €1.71

-30.35%

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

$38.2K ₡17.4M

$35.3K €30.1K

8.18%

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

$33.2K ₡15.1M

$38.5K €32.9K

-13.74%

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

$93.5 ₡42.6K

$145 €124

-35.68%

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

$21.44 ₡9,768

$20.96 €17.90

2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 ₡26.9K

$40.05 €34.21

47.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.20 ₡13.8K

$48.79 €41.66

-38.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.49 ₡10.7K

$18.69 €15.97

25.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 ₡4,421

$9.06 €7.74

7.06%

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

$500 ₡227.7K

$607 €518

-17.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ₡5.9M

$16.3K €13.9K

-21.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 ₡28.9K

$105 €89.4

-39.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 ₡23.2K

$40.95 €34.97

24.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.9K

$93.6 €79.9

33.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡49.1K

$119 €101

-9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₡153.3K

$1,604 €1,370

-79.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₡120.0K

$1,236 €1,055

-78.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 ₡700.3K

$3,046 €2,601

-49.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₡287.8K

$2,057 €1,756

-69.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

136.22%

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

Last update for Perez Zeledon: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in Perez Zeledon and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Perez Zeledon vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $271, 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

Perez Zeledon vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perez Zeledon and Lisbon differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($1,171 vs $2,227 including rent). Perez Zeledon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,756 in Perez Zeledon and $3,341 in Lisbon 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: $336 in Perez Zeledon versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,171 per month in Perez Zeledon versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,171 in Perez Zeledon versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Perez Zeledon but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Perez Zeledon 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, Perez Zeledon 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.

Expats usually find Perez Zeledon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.