Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro Valley, CA and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,206 a month against $3,441 in Castro Valley, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Castro Valley, CA, United States
Lisbon, Portugal
Castro Valley, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,441
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Castro Valley, CA and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Castro Valley, CA and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,441 in Castro Valley, CA versus $2,206 in Lisbon.

  • Castro Valley, CA $3,441
  • Lisbon $2,206

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,290 in Castro Valley, CA versus $3,276 in Lisbon.

  • Castro Valley, CA $4,290
  • Lisbon $3,276

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,138 in Castro Valley, CA versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Castro Valley, CA $5,138
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Castro Valley, CA is roughly 56% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Castro Valley, CA 155% above, Lisbon 63% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.86 $21.86
$16.86 €15.04
29.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.0 $79.0
$61.0 €54.5
29.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.15 $12.15
$10.98 €9.80
10.66%
Cappuccino
$5.75 $5.75
$3.05 €2.72
88.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$2.28 €2.04
32.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
$1.68 €1.50
65.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.85 $5.85
$3.44 €3.07
70.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.52 $7.52
$3.91 €3.48
92.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 $1.48
$1.15 €1.02
28.70%
White Bread (500g)
$4.64 $4.64
$1.89 €1.68
145.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.98 $5.98
$1.50 €1.34
298.67%
Eggs
$6.05 $6.05
$4.12 €3.67
46.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.14 $15.14
$13.01 €11.60
16.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.39 $13.39
$8.04 €7.18
66.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.24 $22.24
$17.89 €15.96
24.32%
Apples (1kg)
$5.44 $5.44
$2.27 €2.03
139.65%
Banana (1kg)
$2.59 $2.59
$1.74 €1.56
48.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.40 $4.40
$1.82 €1.62
141.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.64 $4.64
$2.69 €2.40
72.49%
Potato (1kg)
$3.73 $3.73
$1.77 €1.58
110.73%
Onion (1kg)
$4.68 $4.68
$1.94 €1.73
141.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.46 €1.31
73.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 $0.97
$0.76 €0.68
27.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.88 $11.88
$6.66 €5.94
78.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.19 $17.19
$5.64 €5.03
204.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.29 €1.15
37.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.14 €1.91
28.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.19 $3.19
$2.30 €2.05
38.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.9 $65.9
$44.02 €39.26
49.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 $3.52
$3.98 €3.55
-11.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 $1.90
$0.64 €0.57
196.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.34 $40.34
$18.93 €16.88
113.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.58 $1.58
$2.28 €2.03
-30.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K $27.6K
$33.4K €29.8K
-17.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$38.5K €34.3K
-32.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 $179
$158 €141
12.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.4 $62.4
$17.54 €15.64
255.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.9 $60.9
$31.18 €27.82
95.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.72 $39.72
$44.64 €39.82
-11.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.98 €16.93
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.98 $14.98
$9.58 €8.54
56.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,567 $2,567
$674 €601
280.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.5K $20.5K
$18.7K €16.7K
9.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.88 $39.88
$102 €91.2
-60.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.44 $35.44
$45.90 €40.94
-22.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.8 $77.8
$102 €91.2
-23.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.66 $49.66
$122 €109
-59.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,263 $2,263
$1,641 €1,463
37.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,076 $2,076
$1,187 €1,059
74.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,524 $2,524
$2,825 €2,519
-10.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 $2,062
$2,018 €1,800
2.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,843 $2,843
$7,836 €6,989
-63.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,380 $2,380
$4,701 €4,193
-49.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Castro Valley, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,649 $5,649
$1,687 €1,505
234.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.58
3.82
72.25%

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

Last update for Castro Valley, CA: November 3, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Castro Valley, CA
$2.1K
Lisbon
$1.2K 42.8% $888
Groceries & Markets
Castro Valley, CA
$463
Lisbon
$275 40.7% $188
Eating Out
Castro Valley, CA
$348
Lisbon
$245 29.5% $103
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Castro Valley, CA
$302
Lisbon
$207 31.5% $95
Getting Around
Castro Valley, CA
$92
Lisbon
$60 34.1% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Castro Valley, CA
$91
Lisbon
$168 83.6% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Castro Valley, CA
$70
Lisbon
$64 8.5% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,263 in Castro Valley, CA and $1,641 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castro Valley, CA pays about 3.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79 in Castro Valley, CA vs $61 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $463 vs $275 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Castro Valley, CA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
21:10 9:10 PM
05:10 5:10 AM
8 h ahead of Castro Valley, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
61,388
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.894 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Castro Valley, CA Lisbon 9,100 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Castro Valley, CA
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Castro Valley, CA and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,441 in Castro Valley, CA and $2,206 in Lisbon, so Lisbon is about 36% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Castro Valley, CA or Lisbon?
Average pay in Castro Valley, CA is about 3.3 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Castro Valley, CA and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,263 in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,641 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Castro Valley, CA and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $2,567 in Castro Valley, CA versus $674 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Castro Valley, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,206 in Lisbon versus $3,441 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.
How does quality of life compare between Castro Valley, CA and Lisbon?
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.
Is Castro Valley, CA or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Castro Valley, CA and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Castro Valley, CA or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Castro Valley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Castro Valley, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?