Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,738 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,327 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,915 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 69% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Costa Mesa, CA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Costa Mesa, CA by 179%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 $20.31

$15.91 €13.69

27.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$64.8 €55.7

21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$10.51 €9.04

15.51%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$2.87 €2.47

76.66%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$2.24 €1.93

45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.50 €1.29

51.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$3.49 €3.00

102.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.88 €3.34

111.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.14 €0.98

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.75 €1.51

133.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$1.76 €1.51

155.11%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$3.22 €2.77

58.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$13.49 €11.61

-22.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.76 $8.76

$7.91 €6.81

10.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.75 $14.75

$15.87 €13.65

-7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.31 €1.99

91.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.70 €1.46

14.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.01 €1.73

121.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$2.46 €2.12

131.30%

Potato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.84 €1.59

142.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.00 €1.72

46.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.93 €1.66

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.79 €0.68

165.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.85 $10.85

$6.61 €5.68

64.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$5.72 €4.92

166.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.37 €1.17

40.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.97 €2.56

19.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.37 €2.04

-14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 $6.73

$4.29 €3.69

56.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.79 $2.79

$0.82 €0.70

240.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.28 $29.28

$18.30 €15.74

60.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.06 €1.78

-39.81%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$34.3K €29.5K

-28.96%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$39.3K €33.8K

-37.25%

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

$294 $294

$148 €127

98.75%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$20.52 €17.65

155.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 $59.5

$39.61 €34.08

50.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.72 $39.72

$47.85 €41.16

-16.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$9.18 €7.90

62.85%

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

$1,204 $1,204

$614 €528

96.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$16.0K €13.8K

45.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$105 €90.0

-47.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 $34.50

$42.06 €36.18

-17.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$94.0 €80.8

-6.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$120 €103

-14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 $2,775

$1,628 €1,400

70.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 $2,513

$1,255 €1,080

100.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,931 $3,931

$3,030 €2,607

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,915 $3,915

$2,020 €1,738

93.77%

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)

$6,090 $6,090

$1,603 €1,379

279.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

3.81

72.70%

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

Last update for Costa Mesa, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,775 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 280% higher in Costa Mesa, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $269 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Costa Mesa, CA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 69% more than Lisbon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,608 per month in Costa Mesa, CA and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,738 in Costa Mesa, CA and $2,210 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,204 per month in Costa Mesa, CA and $614 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,738 in Costa Mesa, CA and $2,210 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,210 versus $3,738 in Costa Mesa, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Costa Mesa, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.