Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Alameda, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $4,107 in Alameda, CA, rent and utilities included – about $22,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Alameda, CA, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Alameda, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$4,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Alameda, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Alameda, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $4,107 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Alameda, CA $4,107

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $6,120 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Alameda, CA $6,120

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $8,134 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Alameda, CA $8,134

Lisbon is about 46% cheaper than Alameda, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lisbon and Alameda, CA sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Alameda, CA by 202%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$26.92 $26.92
-38.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$101 $101
-38.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$14.94 $14.94
-23.96%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$5.79 $5.79
-48.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$3.04 $3.04
-24.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.63 $2.63
-33.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$9.08 $9.08
-62.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$9.98 $9.98
-66.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.20 $1.20
-3.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$3.58 $3.58
-46.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$4.98 $4.98
-69.68%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$5.11 $5.11
-21.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$10.99 $10.99
17.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$15.21 $15.21
-48.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$22.36 $22.36
-20.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$6.24 $6.24
-63.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$2.75 $2.75
-37.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$4.39 $4.39
-57.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$6.76 $6.76
-61.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$2.90 $2.90
-37.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$3.32 $3.32
-40.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.55 $1.55
-5.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$2.62 $2.62
-72.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$11.86 $11.86
-44.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$14.48 $14.48
-61.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.77 $1.77
-23.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$3.55 $3.55
-39.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$2.92 $2.92
-20.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$99.4 $99.4
-55.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$4.10 $4.10
-6.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$2.00 $2.00
-46.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$15.11 $15.11
8.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.51 $1.51
45.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$35.1K $35.1K
-2.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$26.2K $26.2K
47.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$134 $134
20.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$53.4 $53.4
-65.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$75.6 $75.6
-56.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$148 $148
-69.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$31.56 $31.56
-39.48%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$17.06 $17.06
-43.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$2,462 $2,462
-72.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$19.7K $19.7K
-10.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$43.07 $43.07
136.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$36.79 $36.79
20.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$81.4 $81.4
20.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$141 $141
-12.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$2,262 $2,262
-28.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$2,522 $2,522
-52.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$4,580 $4,580
-38.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$4,439 $4,439
-54.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$7,362 $7,362
6.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$5,445 $5,445
-15.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Alameda, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$6,610 $6,610
-76.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.63
-41.93%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Alameda, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Alameda, CA
$2.5K 112% $1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Alameda, CA
$461 69.4% $189
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Alameda, CA
$418 72.2% $175
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Alameda, CA
$263 23.8% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Alameda, CA
$136 17.9% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Alameda, CA
$182 186% $119
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Alameda, CA
$125 98% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $2,262 in Alameda, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Alameda, CA are about 4.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $101 in Alameda, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $461 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Alameda, CA
🕒 Local time
20:26 8:26 PM
13:26 1:26 PM
7 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
77,624
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Alameda, CA 9,110 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Alameda, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Lisbon vs Alameda, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lisbon and in Alameda, CA compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $4,107 in Alameda, CA – Lisbon comes out roughly 46% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Alameda, CA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $6,161 in Alameda, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lisbon and Alameda, CA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,608 there versus $2,262 in Alameda, CA.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Alameda, CA?
Kindergarten costs $668 per month in Lisbon and $2,462 in Alameda, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 69% more in Alameda, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,210, than in Alameda, CA at $4,107. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alameda, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Alameda, CA?
It depends on your priorities. Alameda, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,210 in Lisbon to $4,107 in Alameda, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Lisbon or Alameda, CA safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Alameda, CA?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alameda, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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