Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,090 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,649 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,208 in Cali.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 112% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Cali is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.92

$7.70 COP 24.3K

124.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$38.08 COP 120.1K

66.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$8.61 COP 27.2K

32.29%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.62 COP 5,111

96.91%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$1.26 COP 3,973

94.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.87 COP 2,755

102.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$3.25 COP 10.2K

10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$3.85 COP 12.1K

-11.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.57 COP 4,969

-21.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.99 COP 6,282

-0.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.51 COP 4,765

0.66%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$2.83 COP 8,921

42.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$6.43 COP 20.3K

110.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.23

$7.06 COP 22.3K

18.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.74

$10.39 COP 32.8K

75.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.49 COP 11.0K

-34.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.41 COP 4,456

23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.76 COP 5,542

5.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.75 COP 5,522

50.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.45 COP 4,584

32.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.57 COP 4,949

33.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.15 COP 3,640

25.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.04 COP 3,272

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$3.70 COP 11.7K

83.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$13.26 COP 41.8K

-56.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.45 COP 4,569

-4.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.53 COP 7,990

-12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$1.08 COP 3,422

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.35

$29.95 COP 94.5K

56.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$0.84 COP 2,662

396.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.25

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.30 COP 4,114

78.46%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$35.7K COP 112.6M

16.15%

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

$170 €147

$114 COP 358.3K

50.02%

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

$19.34 €16.68

$13.49 COP 42.6K

43.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.01

$31.05 COP 98.0K

8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.48

$28.87 COP 91.1K

66.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$8.43 COP 26.6K

17.67%

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

$717 €619

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$80.3 COP 253.3K

30.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.49

$54.4 COP 171.6K

-13.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$124 COP 391.8K

-16.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$109 COP 343.7K

13.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,446

$641 COP 2.0M

161.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,096

$299 COP 944.9K

324.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,574

$1,577 COP 5.0M

89.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,718

$493 COP 1.6M

304.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,750

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,017

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,365

$591 COP 1.9M

167.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

11.58

-67.27%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $641 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 168% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $244 per month, with Cali 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

Lisbon vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 168% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $641 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 56% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Cali 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 Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.