Cost of Living Comparison Between Downey, CA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Downey, CA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,185 in Downey, CA versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,019 in Downey, CA versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,854 in Downey, CA versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Downey, CA is roughly 38% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Downey, CA 132% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.63 $24.63

$17.30 €14.92

42.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.8 $99.8

$63.3 €54.6

57.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.53 $14.53

$11.39 €9.83

27.57%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$3.19 €2.75

87.46%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$2.45 €2.11

57.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.76 €1.52

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$3.59 €3.10

121.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.89 $9.89

$3.39 €2.93

191.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.24 €1.07

7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.98 €1.71

130.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$1.52 €1.31

338.16%

Eggs

$5.26 $5.26

$4.04 €3.49

30.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 $11.87

$13.54 €11.68

-12.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$8.39 €7.23

75.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.53 $19.53

$18.25 €15.74

7.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.29 €1.97

135.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.74 €1.50

36.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$1.86 €1.60

173.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.63 €2.27

121.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.92 €1.65

71.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.09 €1.81

53.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.44 €1.24

39.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.84 €0.73

203.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 $11.87

$6.78 €5.85

75.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$5.71 €4.93

167.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.38 €1.19

57.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.22 €1.91

22.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.35

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$4.17 €3.60

-29.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.14 €0.98

64.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.59 $31.59

$17.68 €15.25

78.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.32 €2.00

-40.09%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$35.3K €30.5K

5.79%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$41.4K €35.7K

-38.74%

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

$250 $250

$170 €147

46.77%

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

$76.1 $76.1

$19.34 €16.68

293.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 $79.6

$33.64 €29.01

136.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 $35.51

$48.10 €41.48

-26.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$13.85 $13.85

$9.92 €8.56

39.62%

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

$1,441 $1,441

$717 €619

100.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.5K $32.5K

$17.5K €15.1K

85.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 $87.6

$105 €90.4

-16.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.32 $45.32

$46.95 €40.49

-3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 $79.4

$103 €89.2

-23.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$124 €107

32.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 $1,950

$1,677 €1,446

16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 $1,731

$1,271 €1,096

36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,660 $3,660

$2,985 €2,574

22.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,337 $3,337

$1,992 €1,718

67.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,811 $5,811

$7,826 €6,750

-25.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,635 $5,635

$4,658 €4,017

20.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,218 $4,218

$1,583 €1,365

166.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

3.79

69.39%

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

Last update for Downey, CA: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,950 in Downey, CA and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Downey, CA pays 167% 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: $100 in Downey, CA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $467 vs $283 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

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

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 167% higher in Downey, 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: $1,950 in Downey, CA versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Downey, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,185 per month in Downey, CA versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 38% 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.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Downey, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Downey, 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 38% less than in Downey, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.