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: $1,061 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in San Juan del Sur versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,434 in San Juan del Sur versus $4,354 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 21% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

$16.19 €14.15

-73.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.73 NIO 1,235

$63.3 €55.3

-46.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NIO 203

$10.32 €9.02

-46.32%

Cappuccino

$2.43 NIO 88.8

$2.83 €2.47

-14.13%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.88

$2.29 €2.00

-65.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.45

$1.58 €1.38

-57.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.78

$3.40 €2.97

-60.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$4.03 €3.52

-49.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.32

$1.09 €0.95

15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.0

$1.75 €1.53

-12.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.74

$1.76 €1.54

-33.52%

Eggs

$1.87 NIO 68.3

$3.17 €2.77

-41.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 NIO 285

$13.19 €11.53

-41.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 NIO 237

$7.97 €6.96

-18.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 NIO 298

$15.53 €13.57

-47.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 146

$2.37 €2.07

68.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.35

$1.71 €1.49

-51.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.2

$2.01 €1.75

-8.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.4

$2.43 €2.12

-10.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 NIO 118

$1.76 €1.54

82.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$2.03 €1.78

6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 NIO 39.10

$1.92 €1.68

-44.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

$0.85 €0.74

24.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 NIO 99.4

$6.58 €5.75

-58.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 NIO 366

$5.58 €4.87

79.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 51.9

$1.33 €1.16

6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 80.8

$2.97 €2.60

-25.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$4.23 €3.69

-65.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 NIO 251

$18.44 €16.11

-62.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.37

$2.08 €1.82

-40.38%

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

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

$34.7K €30.3K

-35.03%

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

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

$39.2K €34.2K

-33.17%

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

$42.79 NIO 1,567

$148 €129

-71.10%

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

$10.45 NIO 383

$20.46 €17.88

-48.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.21 NIO 1,326

$39.56 €34.56

-8.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 NIO 1,111

$47.99 €41.93

-36.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 NIO 297

$9.22 €8.06

-12.15%

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

$123 NIO 4,499

$616 €538

-80.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

$16.4K €14.4K

-63.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 NIO 2,780

$103 €89.7

-26.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 NIO 2,668

$41.74 €36.47

74.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NIO 4,914

$94.8 €82.8

41.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,951

$122 €107

-11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 NIO 17.0K

$1,633 €1,426

-71.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 NIO 14.7K

$1,232 €1,077

-67.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 NIO 35.2K

$3,098 €2,707

-68.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 NIO 35.2K

$2,031 €1,775

-52.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 NIO 13.0K

$1,607 €1,404

-78.00%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in San Juan del Sur and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 354% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $267 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 ($1,061 vs $2,291 including rent). San Juan del Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 354% 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: $464 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,061 per month in San Juan del Sur versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,061 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,291 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.