Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Fullerton, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
Learn more

Lisbon Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Fullerton, CA
Learn more

Fullerton, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,202

/mo nomad

Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,507

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Fullerton, 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 Fullerton, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Lisbon vs $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Lisbon $2,202
Fullerton, CA $3,507

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Lisbon vs $5,392 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Lisbon $3,274
Fullerton, CA $5,392

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $7,276 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Lisbon $4,346
Fullerton, CA $7,276

Lisbon is about 37% cheaper than Fullerton, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lisbon and Fullerton, CA sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Fullerton, CA by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.04 €15.15

$25.09 $25.09

-32.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 €55.4

$78.9 $78.9

-21.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 €9.80

$11.35 $11.35

-2.91%

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.78

$5.72 $5.72

-45.45%

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

$2.27 €2.02

$2.81 $2.81

-19.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.55

$2.05 $2.05

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 €3.04

$7.88 $7.88

-56.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 €3.33

$9.81 $9.81

-61.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.04

$1.41 $1.41

-17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.66

$5.10 $5.10

-63.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 €1.37

$4.34 $4.34

-64.52%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.61

$5.06 $5.06

-19.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 €11.49

$12.26 $12.26

5.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 €7.03

$8.63 $8.63

-8.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 €15.69

$15.69 $15.69

12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €2.01

$4.70 $4.70

-51.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.55

$1.72 $1.72

1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 €1.68

$4.02 $4.02

-52.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.27

$6.40 $6.40

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.64

$3.57 $3.57

-48.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.75

$3.31 $3.31

-40.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.29

$2.11 $2.11

-31.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.69

$2.55 $2.55

-69.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 €5.97

$11.66 $11.66

-42.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €5.04

$15.13 $15.13

-62.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.22

$1.74 $1.74

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.88

$3.25 $3.25

-35.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €2.07

$2.30 $2.30

0.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.43 €39.52

$64.6 $64.6

-31.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 €3.51

$4.44 $4.44

-11.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.93

$1.89 $1.89

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 €15.26

$36.21 $36.21

-52.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.95

$1.48 $1.48

47.97%

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

$33.8K €30.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

24.04%

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

$38.3K €34.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

45.77%

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

$164 €146

$213 $213

-23.06%

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

$18.48 €16.43

$84.5 $84.5

-78.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.96 €29.32

$73.2 $73.2

-54.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.87 €40.80

$40.78 $40.78

12.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 €16.61

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 €8.67

$12.13 $12.13

-19.62%

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

$684 €608

$1,391 $1,391

-50.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.7K

$43.3K $43.3K

-59.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €92.3

$75.0 $75.0

38.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.20 €41.09

$40.26 $40.26

14.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 €88.7

$88.4 $88.4

12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €111

$120 $120

4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 €1,414

$2,588 $2,588

-38.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 €1,040

$2,043 $2,043

-42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 €2,536

$4,005 $4,005

-28.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,773

$4,069 $4,069

-51.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,793 €6,932

$5,472 $5,472

42.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,418 €3,930

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,600 €1,423

$4,578 $4,578

-65.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

6.31

-38.99%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fullerton, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.1%

Fullerton, CA

$2K 58.3% 74.7% $874

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$273 12.4%

Fullerton, CA

$413 11.8% 51.4% $140

Eating Out

Lisbon

$247 11.2%

Fullerton, CA

$382 10.9% 54.3% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$215 9.8%

Fullerton, CA

$371 10.6% 72.2% $155

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$168 7.7%

Fullerton, CA

$146 4.2% 13.6% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$65 3%

Fullerton, CA

$65 1.9% 0.5% $0.3

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Fullerton, CA

$88 2.5% 39.2% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Lisbon versus $2,588 in Fullerton, CA. 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 186% 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $79.0 in Fullerton, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $413 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇺🇸 Fullerton, CA

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

05:29 5:29 AM

8 h behind Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

135,161

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lisbon Fullerton, CA 9,110 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon, $3,507 in Fullerton, CA – roughly 59% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,302 per month in Lisbon and $5,260 in Fullerton, CA. 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 $684 per month in Lisbon and $1,391 in Fullerton, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,202, than in Fullerton, CA at $3,507. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fullerton, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fullerton, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,202 in Lisbon to $3,507 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.