Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Francisco Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Francisco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,593 in San Francisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,406 in San Francisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,219 in San Francisco.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 39% more expensive than San Francisco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, San Francisco 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$10.96 ₡5,006

45.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$60.3 ₡27.6K

7.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$9.68 ₡4,425

8.57%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.80 ₡1,735

-24.47%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.01 ₡917

11.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.67 ₡762

-10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.91 ₡1,328

19.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.79 ₡2,190

-19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.95 ₡893

-41.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.76 ₡1,263

-36.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.23 ₡1,021

-21.08%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.04 ₡1,391

5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.15 ₡4,636

32.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$9.23 ₡4,217

-14.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$13.49 ₡6,164

17.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.45 ₡2,034

-48.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.50 ₡685

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$4.24 ₡1,938

-52.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.42 ₡1,564

-28.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$3.56 ₡1,628

-48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$3.12 ₡1,426

-35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.95 ₡435

103.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.90 ₡1,326

-72.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$5.38 ₡2,460

22.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$22.13 ₡10.1K

-74.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.42 ₡1,108

-43.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.85 ₡1,303

4.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.97 ₡441

144.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.85 ₡846

131.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.84 ₡839

-55.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$7.85 ₡3,585

133.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.47 ₡670

40.14%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$38.4K ₡17.6M

-10.76%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$32.2K ₡14.7M

21.89%

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

$148 €127

$94.7 ₡43.3K

56.11%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$26.37 ₡12.0K

-22.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$40.68 ₡18.6K

-2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$56.0 ₡25.6K

-14.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$23.81 ₡10.9K

-20.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$10.14 ₡4,632

-9.47%

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

$614 €529

$567 ₡259.2K

8.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$12.5K ₡5.7M

28.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$63.4 ₡29.0K

65.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$51.2 ₡23.4K

-17.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$127 ₡57.9K

-25.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$108 ₡49.3K

10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$766 ₡350.1K

112.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$604 ₡275.9K

107.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,500 ₡685.5K

101.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$953 ₡435.2K

112.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.17

-62.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Francisco: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $766 in San Francisco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in San Francisco. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $368, 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 San Francisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Francisco differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,593 including rent). San Francisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $2,389 in San Francisco 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $766 in San Francisco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,593 in San Francisco – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,593 in San Francisco versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Francisco but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.