Cost of Living Comparison Between El Cajon, CA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between El Cajon, CA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,278 per month in El Cajon, CA vs $2,280 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,019 per month in El Cajon, CA vs $3,294 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,761 per month in El Cajon, CA vs $4,307 in Lisbon, rent included.

El Cajon, CA costs about 44% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Cajon, CA and Lisbon sit above the global median – El Cajon, CA by 146%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.13 $19.13

$15.75 €13.64

21.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$63.5 €55.0

27.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.45 €9.05

41.53%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$2.91 €2.52

77.32%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.29 €1.98

29.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.50 €1.30

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.56 €3.09

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$3.96 €3.43

107.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.08 €0.94

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$1.76 €1.53

137.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.70 €1.47

163.53%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$3.25 €2.81

16.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 $13.53

$13.25 €11.47

2.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$7.70 €6.67

111.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$15.77 €13.66

-3.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.28 €1.97

92.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.66 €1.43

-0.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.02 €1.75

92.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.47 €2.14

87.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.79 €1.55

70.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.07 €1.79

18.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.97 €1.71

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.83 €0.72

195.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 $11.99

$6.55 €5.68

83.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$5.57 €4.82

166.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.33 €1.15

38.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.01 €2.60

-18.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.27 €1.97

-16.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.23 €3.66

-28.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$0.85 €0.73

91.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.72 $27.72

$18.83 €16.31

47.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.02 €1.75

-37.13%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$35.0K €30.3K

-26.17%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$39.6K €34.3K

-32.93%

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

$159 $159

$148 €128

7.16%

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

$53.7 $53.7

$20.52 €17.77

161.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$39.52 €34.23

80.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.68 $42.68

$48.17 €41.72

-11.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.99 $14.99

$9.10 €7.88

64.73%

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

$1,518 $1,518

$615 €532

146.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K $28.2K

$16.3K €14.1K

73.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.24 $48.24

$102 €88.0

-52.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.19 $34.19

$42.09 €36.45

-18.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$92.3 €79.9

9.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$122 €106

-16.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,441 $2,441

$1,612 €1,396

51.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$1,254 €1,086

58.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,899 $2,899

$3,069 €2,658

-5.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,076 $4,076

$2,037 €1,764

100.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,965 $3,965

$1,602 €1,387

147.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

3.81

67.72%

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

Last update for El Cajon, CA: July 28, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,441 in El Cajon, CA versus $1,612 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 148% higher in El Cajon, 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 $81.0 in El Cajon, CA versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $267 – 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

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

Yes – El Cajon, CA is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,917 per month in El Cajon, CA and $3,420 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in El Cajon, CA and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in El Cajon, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,278 in El Cajon, CA and $2,280 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, El Cajon, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.