Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,022 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,719 in San Juan del Sur versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,417 in San Juan del Sur versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in San Juan del Sur costs roughly 54% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan del Sur is 24% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

$15.91 €13.69

-73.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 NIO 1,238

$64.8 €55.7

-47.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 NIO 202

$10.51 €9.04

-47.48%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NIO 86.0

$2.87 €2.47

-18.12%

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

$0.85 NIO 31.14

$2.24 €1.93

-62.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 25.06

$1.50 €1.29

-54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 NIO 47.48

$3.49 €3.00

-62.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 73.9

$3.88 €3.34

-47.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.20

$1.14 €0.98

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 NIO 54.1

$1.75 €1.51

-15.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.88

$1.76 €1.51

-33.52%

Eggs

$1.96 NIO 71.7

$3.22 €2.77

-39.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 NIO 285

$13.49 €11.61

-42.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 NIO 234

$7.91 €6.81

-19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 NIO 292

$15.87 €13.65

-49.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 141

$2.31 €1.99

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.90

$1.70 €1.46

-50.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.1

$2.01 €1.73

-11.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$2.46 €2.12

-8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 NIO 115

$1.84 €1.59

70.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

$2.00 €1.72

8.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.99

$1.93 €1.66

-47.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.93

$0.79 €0.68

27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.4

$6.61 €5.68

-60.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 NIO 354

$5.72 €4.92

68.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.37 €1.17

6.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NIO 81.9

$2.97 €2.56

-24.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.9

$4.29 €3.69

-65.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 NIO 250

$18.30 €15.74

-62.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.66

$2.06 €1.78

-39.32%

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

$22.9K NIO 838.0K

$34.3K €29.5K

-33.25%

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

$25.9K NIO 948.6K

$39.3K €33.8K

-34.08%

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

$41.71 NIO 1,528

$148 €127

-71.79%

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

$10.58 NIO 388

$20.52 €17.65

-48.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 NIO 1,339

$39.61 €34.08

-7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 NIO 1,087

$47.85 €41.16

-37.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 NIO 286

$9.18 €7.90

-15.03%

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

$123 NIO 4,505

$614 €528

-79.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,973 NIO 218.8K

$16.0K €13.8K

-62.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 NIO 2,884

$105 €90.0

-24.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.8 NIO 2,702

$42.06 €36.18

75.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,761

$94.0 €80.8

38.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,025

$120 €103

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 NIO 16.9K

$1,628 €1,400

-71.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 NIO 15.0K

$1,255 €1,080

-67.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 NIO 35.0K

$3,030 €2,607

-68.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 NIO 35.1K

$2,020 €1,738

-52.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 NIO 10.2K

$1,603 €1,379

-82.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

3.81

169.03%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $461 in San Juan del Sur and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 474% 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: $34.00 in San Juan del Sur vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $269 per month, with San Juan del Sur 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

San Juan del Sur vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan del Sur and Lisbon differ by about 116% in total monthly costs ($1,022 vs $2,210 including rent). San Juan del Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 474% less. 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: $461 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,022 per month in San Juan del Sur versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,022 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan del Sur but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan del Sur 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, San Juan del Sur 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 San Juan del Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.