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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,334 in San Juan versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in San Juan versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,807 in San Juan versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 40% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 0% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 TTD 50.6

$15.91 €13.69

-52.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 TTD 397

$64.8 €55.7

-8.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 TTD 48.77

$10.51 €9.04

-30.73%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.61

$2.87 €2.47

27.87%

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

$1.08 TTD 7.24

$2.24 €1.93

-51.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.79

$1.50 €1.29

-52.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$3.49 €3.00

-48.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.90

$3.88 €3.34

-23.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 TTD 18.27

$1.14 €0.98

139.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 TTD 17.95

$1.75 €1.51

53.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 TTD 17.99

$1.76 €1.51

52.84%

Eggs

$5.14 TTD 34.42

$3.22 €2.77

59.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 TTD 54.4

$13.49 €11.61

-39.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 TTD 70.5

$7.91 €6.81

33.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 TTD 94.3

$15.87 €13.65

-11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 37.91

$2.31 €1.99

145.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.82

$1.70 €1.46

47.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.52

$2.01 €1.73

111.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.48

$2.46 €2.12

91.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.55

$1.84 €1.59

-22.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 TTD 11.24

$2.00 €1.72

-16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.60

$1.93 €1.66

-2.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.40

$0.79 €0.68

77.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 TTD 40.23

$6.61 €5.68

-9.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.56 TTD 124

$5.72 €4.92

224.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.65

$1.37 €1.17

59.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.03

$2.97 €2.56

-9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$4.29 €3.69

-76.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.26

$0.82 €0.70

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.85 TTD 99.5

$18.30 €15.74

-18.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.36

$2.06 €1.78

-46.60%

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

$34.6K TTD 231.8K

$34.3K €29.5K

0.94%

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

$38.7K TTD 259.1K

$39.3K €33.8K

-1.59%

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

$81.1 TTD 543

$148 €127

-45.17%

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

$47.47 TTD 318

$20.52 €17.65

131.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 TTD 409

$39.61 €34.08

54.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 TTD 66.3

$9.18 €7.90

7.84%

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

$324 TTD 2,172

$614 €528

-47.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,326 TTD 49.1K

$16.0K €13.8K

-54.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 TTD 394

$105 €90.0

-43.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.82 TTD 260

$42.06 €36.18

-7.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 TTD 997

$94.0 €80.8

58.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 852

$120 €103

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 TTD 4,937

$1,628 €1,400

-54.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 TTD 3,026

$1,255 €1,080

-64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 TTD 7,051

$3,030 €2,607

-65.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 TTD 4,988

$2,020 €1,738

-63.15%

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)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

3.81

41.21%

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

Last update for San Juan: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in San Juan and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in San Juan vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $269, 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

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

San Juan and Lisbon differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,334 vs $2,210 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,001 in San Juan and $3,315 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: $737 in San Juan versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,334 per month in San Juan versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,334 in San Juan versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan 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 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 gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.