Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Los Ángeles Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Los Ángeles

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $958 in Los Ángeles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,421 in Los Ángeles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,885 in Los Ángeles.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 137% more expensive than in Los Ángeles, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Los Ángeles is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$12.59 CLP 11.8K

39.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$26.39 CLP 24.8K

144.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$10.78 CLP 10.1K

8.07%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.17 CLP 2,044

50.23%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.65 CLP 1,549

50.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.58 CLP 1,485

5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.69 CLP 2,536

29.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.13 CLP 2,947

14.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.27 CLP 1,193

-7.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.86 CLP 2,694

-31.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$3.13 CLP 2,947

-50.16%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$4.57 CLP 4,304

-12.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$8.41 CLP 7,916

57.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$11.17 CLP 10.5K

-24.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$14.94 CLP 14.1K

22.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.72 CLP 2,564

-14.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.75 CLP 1,648

-1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.72 CLP 2,561

-29.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$2.30 CLP 2,166

14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.63 CLP 1,538

16.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.67 CLP 1,573

26.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.45 CLP 1,362

-0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.16 CLP 1,088

-31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$5.89 CLP 5,541

19.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.39 CLP 4,127

34.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.04 CLP 977

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.56 CLP 527

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.16 CLP 2,034

93.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.37 CLP 1,294

64.23%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

$129 CLP 121.6K

32.27%

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

$19.01 €16.39

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$21.17 CLP 19.9K

61.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$85.4 CLP 80.4K

-41.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

$10.62 CLP 9,993

83.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.47 CLP 4,206

125.95%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

$294 CLP 276.4K

465.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$235 CLP 221.0K

423.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$470 CLP 441.9K

520.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$360 CLP 338.4K

462.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Los Ángeles: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $294 in Los Ángeles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Los Ángeles. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $286, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Los Ángeles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Los Ángeles differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $958 including rent). Los Ángeles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $1,436 in Los Ángeles to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $294 in Los Ángeles. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Los Ángeles – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $958 in Los Ángeles – a 137% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $958 in Los Ángeles versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Los Ángeles but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Los Ángeles the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Los Ángeles 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 Los Ángeles gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.