Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro Valley, CA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro Valley, CA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,344 in Castro Valley, CA versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,155 in Castro Valley, CA versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,965 in Castro Valley, CA versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Castro Valley, CA is roughly 47% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Castro Valley, CA 151% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.07 $22.07

$15.75 €13.64

40.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$63.5 €55.0

23.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 $11.02

$10.45 €9.05

5.45%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.91 €2.52

93.47%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$2.29 €1.98

28.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.50 €1.30

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 $7.67

$3.56 €3.09

115.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 $8.76

$3.96 €3.43

121.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.08 €0.94

15.74%

White Bread (500g)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.76 €1.53

152.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.70 €1.47

80.59%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$3.25 €2.81

47.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 $10.85

$13.25 €11.47

-18.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.70 €6.67

27.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 $12.84

$15.77 €13.66

-18.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.28 €1.97

104.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.66 €1.43

56.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.02 €1.75

50.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.47 €2.14

99.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.79 €1.55

65.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.07 €1.79

71.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.97 €1.71

12.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.83 €0.72

228.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 $11.06

$6.55 €5.68

68.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.14 $13.14

$5.57 €4.82

135.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.33 €1.15

37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.01 €2.60

-6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.27 €1.97

47.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 $4.46

$4.23 €3.66

5.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.85 €0.73

117.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 $30.45

$18.83 €16.31

61.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.02 €1.75

-37.62%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$35.0K €30.3K

-14.74%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$39.6K €34.3K

-30.84%

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

$199 $199

$148 €128

34.25%

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

$46.15 $46.15

$20.52 €17.77

124.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 $69.6

$39.52 €34.23

76.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 $42.31

$48.17 €41.72

-12.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 $16.24

$9.10 €7.88

78.46%

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

$1,574 $1,574

$615 €532

156.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$16.3K €14.1K

47.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 $55.8

$102 €88.0

-45.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.34 $35.34

$42.09 €36.45

-16.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$92.3 €79.9

-16.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 $80.6

$122 €106

-34.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,269 $2,269

$1,612 €1,396

40.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 $2,086

$1,254 €1,086

66.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,663 $2,663

$3,069 €2,658

-13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$2,037 €1,764

10.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,687 $2,687

$7,751 €6,712

-65.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$4,286 €3,712

-43.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,695 $5,695

$1,602 €1,387

255.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

3.81

72.18%

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

Last update for Castro Valley, CA: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,269 in Castro Valley, CA and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castro Valley, CA pays 256% 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: $79.0 in Castro Valley, CA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $267 per month, with Lisbon 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

Castro Valley, CA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castro Valley, CA and Lisbon differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($3,344 vs $2,280 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 256% higher in Castro Valley, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,269 in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Castro Valley, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,344 per month in Castro Valley, CA versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Castro Valley, CA 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Castro Valley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.