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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,584 per month in El Centro, CA vs $2,268 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,689 per month in El Centro, CA vs $3,348 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,794 per month in El Centro, CA vs $4,429 in Lisbon, rent included.

El Centro, CA costs about 14% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Centro, CA and Lisbon sit above the global median – El Centro, CA by 87%, Lisbon by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 $11.77

$17.55 €15.12

-32.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.39 $40.39

$64.5 €55.6

-37.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$11.65 €10.04

-2.58%

Cappuccino

$4.11 $4.11

$3.26 €2.81

26.07%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$2.49 €2.15

-17.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.67 €1.44

22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.47 €2.99

-12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 $6.99

$3.58 €3.08

95.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.18 €1.02

1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$5.70 $5.70

$1.95 €1.68

192.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.56 €1.35

175.64%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$4.01 €3.46

26.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$13.27 €11.44

-4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.54 $20.54

$8.42 €7.26

143.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$18.23 €15.72

-22.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.32 €2.00

140.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.73 €1.49

3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.93 €1.67

113.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$2.64 €2.27

145.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.90 €1.64

87.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.11 €1.82

66.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.44 €1.24

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.80 €0.69

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$7.01 €6.04

68.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$5.92 €5.11

151.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.36 €1.18

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.15 €1.85

49.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.38 €2.05

-13.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 $4.40

$4.19 €3.61

5.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.10 €0.95

70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.13 $36.13

$17.26 €14.88

109.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.25 €1.94

-34.67%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$34.5K €29.7K

6.74%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$41.6K €35.9K

-37.48%

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

$214 $214

$171 €147

25.44%

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

$72.4 $72.4

$19.01 €16.38

280.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 $70.0

$34.28 €29.55

104.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.43 $47.43

$49.65 €42.80

-4.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$10.10 €8.71

20.99%

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

$1,915 $1,915

$699 €603

173.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.9K $41.9K

$17.8K €15.3K

135.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$105 €90.2

-30.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.92 $40.92

$47.97 €41.35

-14.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 $81.0

$102 €87.8

-20.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$128 €111

34.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,661 €1,432

6.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 $1,418

$1,228 €1,059

15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,803 $2,803

$2,915 €2,513

-3.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,139 $2,139

$2,023 €1,744

5.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,695 $2,695

$8,129 €7,007

-66.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,223 $2,223

$4,635 €3,996

-52.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

3.78

60.85%

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

Last update for El Centro, CA: September 8, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,765 in El Centro, CA versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in El Centro, CA versus $64.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $475 in El Centro, CA vs $281 in Lisbon – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,584 in El Centro, CA, $2,268 in Lisbon – roughly 14% apart. El Centro, CA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,875 per month in El Centro, CA and $3,402 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 $2,584 in El Centro, CA and $2,268 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,915 per month in El Centro, CA and $699 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 $2,584 in El Centro, CA and $2,268 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,268 in Lisbon to $2,584 in El Centro, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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