Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,746 in Playa del Coco versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,752 in Playa del Coco versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,758 in Playa del Coco versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Playa del Coco costs roughly 23% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Playa del Coco 27% above, Lisbon 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 ₡8,203

$17.55 €15.12

4.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 ₡26.2K

$64.5 €55.6

-9.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 ₡5,284

$11.65 €10.04

1.37%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₡1,889

$3.26 €2.81

29.45%

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

$2.59 ₡1,160

$2.49 €2.15

4.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡734

$1.67 €1.44

-1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ₡1,606

$3.47 €2.99

3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 ₡2,633

$3.58 €3.08

64.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 ₡1,096

$1.18 €1.02

107.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 ₡1,276

$1.95 €1.68

46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 ₡1,129

$1.56 €1.35

61.54%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,578

$4.01 €3.46

-11.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,812

$13.27 €11.44

-18.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₡4,644

$8.42 €7.26

23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 ₡6,268

$18.23 €15.72

-23.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 ₡2,260

$2.32 €2.00

117.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡740

$1.73 €1.49

-4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,535

$1.93 €1.67

77.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₡1,559

$2.64 €2.27

31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 ₡1,359

$1.90 €1.64

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 ₡1,444

$2.11 €1.82

53.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.44 €1.24

-21.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₡1,241

$0.80 €0.69

246.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 ₡2,626

$7.01 €6.04

-16.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.84 ₡7,539

$5.92 €5.11

184.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,194

$1.36 €1.18

96.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₡1,217

$2.15 €1.85

26.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ₡609

$2.38 €2.05

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 ₡1,488

$4.19 €3.61

-20.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡729

$1.10 €0.95

48.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.90 ₡3,982

$17.26 €14.88

-48.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡917

$2.25 €1.94

-8.89%

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

$22.2K ₡10.0M

$34.5K €29.7K

-35.48%

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

$35.5K ₡15.9M

$41.6K €35.9K

-14.63%

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

$97.3 ₡43.6K

$171 €147

-43.04%

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

$29.69 ₡13.3K

$19.01 €16.38

56.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$34.28 €29.55

78.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 ₡33.2K

$49.65 €42.80

49.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$8.31 ₡3,718

$10.10 €8.71

-17.72%

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

$864 ₡386.9K

$699 €603

23.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$17.8K €15.3K

-3.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 ₡31.8K

$105 €90.2

-31.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 ₡25.5K

$47.97 €41.35

18.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.8K

$102 €87.8

29.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 ₡60.0K

$128 €111

4.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡355.4K

$1,661 €1,432

-52.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₡282.5K

$1,228 €1,059

-48.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 ₡826.8K

$2,915 €2,513

-36.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 ₡574.2K

$2,023 €1,744

-36.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$332 ₡148.8K

$4,635 €3,996

-92.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 ₡343.4K

$1,619 €1,396

-52.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

3.78

132.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Coco: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $794 in Playa del Coco and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 111% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Playa del Coco vs $64.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $281, 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

Playa del Coco vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco and Lisbon differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,746 vs $2,268 including rent). Playa del Coco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 111% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $794 in Playa del Coco versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 33% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,746 per month in Playa del Coco versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,746 in Playa del Coco versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Playa del Coco but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Coco 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, Playa del Coco 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 Playa del Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.