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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,387 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,213 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,039 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Fullerton, CA costs about 48% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Fullerton, CA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Fullerton, CA by 153%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.09 $25.09

$16.19 €14.18

54.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 $84.4

$63.3 €55.5

33.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 $11.29

$10.32 €9.04

9.40%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$2.83 €2.48

93.99%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.29 €2.01

20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.58 €1.38

30.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.63 $7.63

$3.40 €2.98

124.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 $8.65

$4.03 €3.53

114.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.09 €0.96

14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.75 €1.53

125.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.76 €1.54

129.55%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$3.17 €2.77

44.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$13.19 €11.56

-17.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.90 $8.90

$7.97 €6.98

11.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 $14.56

$15.53 €13.60

-6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.37 €2.07

42.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.71 €1.49

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.01 €1.76

91.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$2.43 €2.13

134.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.76 €1.54

87.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.03 €1.78

60.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.92 €1.68

-23.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.85 €0.74

145.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 $10.93

$6.58 €5.76

66.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$5.58 €4.89

171.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.33 €1.17

32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.97 €2.60

58.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.28 €1.99

-2.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 $65.5

$45.79 €40.10

43.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.23 €3.70

-3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.81 €0.71

104.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.46 $31.46

$18.44 €16.15

70.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.08 €1.82

-38.46%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$34.7K €30.4K

-32.16%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$39.2K €34.3K

-39.15%

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

$204 $204

$148 €130

37.70%

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

$49.61 $49.61

$20.46 €17.92

142.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 $64.6

$39.56 €34.64

63.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 $40.75

$47.99 €42.03

-15.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 $13.87

$9.22 €8.08

50.43%

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

$1,375 $1,375

$616 €540

123.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$16.4K €14.4K

139.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 $68.7

$103 €90.0

-33.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 $35.11

$41.74 €36.55

-15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$94.8 €83.0

-9.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$122 €107

-3.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,532 $2,532

$1,633 €1,430

55.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,036 $2,036

$1,232 €1,079

65.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,840 $3,840

$3,098 €2,713

23.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,027 $4,027

$2,031 €1,779

98.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,334 $5,334

$7,831 €6,858

-31.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,508 $4,508

$1,607 €1,408

180.46%

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 Fullerton, CA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,532 in Fullerton, CA versus $1,633 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 180% higher in Fullerton, 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 $84.0 in Fullerton, CA versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,387 in Fullerton, CA, $2,291 in Lisbon – roughly 48% apart. Fullerton, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,080 per month in Fullerton, CA and $3,437 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,375 per month in Fullerton, CA and $616 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Fullerton, 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 $3,387 in Fullerton, CA and $2,291 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Fullerton, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,291 in Lisbon to $3,387 in Fullerton, 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, Fullerton, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.