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: $3,329 in Castro Valley, CA versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,153 in Castro Valley, CA versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,976 in Castro Valley, CA versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Castro Valley, CA is roughly 49% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Castro Valley, CA 149% above, Lisbon 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.94 $21.94

$16.17 €13.81

35.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$64.6 €55.1

21.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$10.38 €8.86

6.94%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$2.77 €2.37

111.55%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.25 €1.92

32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.57 €1.34

89.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 $7.66

$3.49 €2.98

119.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.91 $8.91

$4.00 €3.42

122.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.08 €0.93

21.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.74 €1.49

147.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.74 €1.48

84.48%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.18 €2.71

49.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 $11.14

$13.43 €11.47

-17.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$7.99 €6.83

22.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 $12.91

$16.09 €13.74

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.28 €1.95

107.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.72 €1.47

50.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.94 €1.66

54.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.54 €2.17

93.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.83 €1.56

62.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.04 €1.74

73.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.98 €1.69

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$0.85 €0.73

222.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 $11.17

$6.85 €5.85

63.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$5.78 €4.93

154.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.37 €1.17

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.90 €2.48

-4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.28 €1.95

43.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.08 €3.48

9.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.82 €0.70

137.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.33 $30.33

$18.27 €15.60

66.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.01 €1.71

-37.31%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$35.3K €30.1K

-14.60%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$38.5K €32.9K

-28.12%

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

$201 $201

$145 €124

37.92%

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

$46.38 $46.38

$20.96 €17.90

121.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$40.05 €34.21

71.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.55 $42.55

$48.79 €41.66

-12.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

Cinema Ticket

$15.90 $15.90

$9.06 €7.74

75.50%

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

$1,610 $1,610

$607 €518

165.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$16.3K €13.9K

46.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 $57.3

$105 €89.4

-45.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.27 $35.27

$40.95 €34.97

-13.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 $76.1

$93.6 €79.9

-18.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 $78.8

$119 €101

-33.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,281 $2,281

$1,604 €1,370

42.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 $2,057

$1,236 €1,055

66.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$3,046 €2,601

-14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,214 $2,214

$2,057 €1,756

7.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,645 $7,645

$7,709 €6,583

-0.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,524 $7,524

$4,266 €3,644

76.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,776 $5,776

$1,584 €1,353

264.59%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,281 in Castro Valley, CA and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castro Valley, CA pays 265% 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: $78.0 in Castro Valley, CA vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $271 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 49% in total monthly costs ($3,329 vs $2,227 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Castro Valley, CA pays 265% more on average, 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: $2,281 in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Castro Valley, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,329 per month in Castro Valley, CA versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $3,329 in Castro Valley, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Castro Valley, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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, 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 49% less than in Castro Valley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.