Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Redwood City, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,206 a month against $4,202 in Redwood City, CA, rent and utilities included – about $24,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Redwood City, CA, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Redwood City, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$4,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $4,202 in Redwood City, CA.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Redwood City, CA $4,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $6,260 in Redwood City, CA.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Redwood City, CA $6,260

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $8,317 in Redwood City, CA.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Redwood City, CA $8,317

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 48% less than in Redwood City, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 63% above, Redwood City, CA 211% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.01
$24.81 $24.81
-32.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.4
$110 $110
-44.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.78
$13.10 $13.10
-16.18%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.72
$5.69 $5.69
-46.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$3.07 $3.07
-25.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$2.82 $2.82
-40.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.06
$7.80 $7.80
-55.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.48
$8.79 $8.79
-55.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.48 $1.48
-22.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$5.38 $5.38
-64.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$5.58 $5.58
-73.12%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$7.57 $7.57
-45.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.58
$14.90 $14.90
-12.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.16
$10.79 $10.79
-25.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.93
$19.85 $19.85
-9.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$7.04 $7.04
-67.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$3.30 $3.30
-47.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$4.90 $4.90
-62.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$6.50 $6.50
-58.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$3.35 $3.35
-47.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$3.96 $3.96
-51.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$3.06 $3.06
-52.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$2.94 $2.94
-74.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.93
$11.85 $11.85
-43.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.02
$19.75 $19.75
-71.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$2.59 $2.59
-50.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$3.44 $3.44
-37.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.05
$4.68 $4.68
-50.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.19
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.55
$4.24 $4.24
-6.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$1.28 $1.28
-50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.85
$39.62 $39.62
-52.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.60 $1.60
42.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.7K
$27.4K $27.4K
21.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.3K
$26.7K $26.7K
44.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$238 $238
-33.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.62
$51.8 $51.8
-66.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.77
$69.5 $69.5
-55.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.75
$236 $236
-81.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.90
$29.88 $29.88
-36.48%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.53
$18.04 $18.04
-46.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €600
$3,010 $3,010
-77.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$43.1K $43.1K
-56.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.0
$44.67 $44.67
128.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.87
$25.49 $25.49
80.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.0
$101 $101
1.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$117 $117
4.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,461
$4,197 $4,197
-60.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,057
$2,514 $2,514
-52.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,515
$5,645 $5,645
-49.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,797
$4,471 $4,471
-54.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,977
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,186
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Redwood City, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,502
$6,248 $6,248
-73.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
7.13
-46.42%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Redwood City, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Redwood City, CA
$2.5K 112% $1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Redwood City, CA
$511 86.2% $237
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Redwood City, CA
$386 57.5% $141
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Redwood City, CA
$360 73.8% $153
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Redwood City, CA
$129 22.7% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Redwood City, CA
$272 326% $208
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Redwood City, CA
$29 * 51.4% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $4,197 in Redwood City, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redwood City, CA pays about 3.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Lisbon vs $110 in Redwood City, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $511 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Redwood City, CA
🕒 Local time
15:22 3:22 PM
07:22 7:22 AM
8 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
88,314
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Redwood City, CA 9,130 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Redwood City, 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 Redwood City, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Redwood City, CA?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $4,202 in Redwood City, CA, so Lisbon is about 48% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Redwood City, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $4,197 in Redwood City, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Redwood City, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Redwood City, CA?
All in, you’ll spend $2,206 per month in Lisbon versus $4,202 in Redwood City, CA – Lisbon is about 48% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,206 in Lisbon versus $4,202 in Redwood City, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Redwood City, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Redwood City, CA?
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.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Redwood City, CA?
It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Redwood City, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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