Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Rafael, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Rafael, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $4,891 in San Rafael, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $6,339 in San Rafael, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $7,787 in San Rafael, CA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 53% less than in San Rafael, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, San Rafael, CA 256% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$28.56 $28.56

-39.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$112 $112

-43.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$12.06 $12.06

-5.56%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$4.84 $4.84

-34.09%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$3.06 $3.06

-19.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$3.05 $3.05

-42.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$5.89 $5.89

-39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$6.95 $6.95

-51.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.42 $1.42

-12.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$4.34 $4.34

-54.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$9.80 $9.80

-84.49%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$5.50 $5.50

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$21.06 $21.06

-35.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$16.69 $16.69

-49.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$19.04 $19.04

-4.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$7.25 $7.25

-68.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.88 $2.88

-39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$6.65 $6.65

-72.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$8.64 $8.64

-69.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$5.42 $5.42

-64.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$4.78 $4.78

-56.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$3.06 $3.06

-52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$3.73 $3.73

-77.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$10.87 $10.87

-37.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$14.12 $14.12

-59.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.15 $2.15

-35.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$3.23 $3.23

-31.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.94 $1.94

23.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$64.0 $64.0

-26.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$4.05 $4.05

2.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$4.39 $4.39

-74.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$28.80 $28.80

-38.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.33 $1.33

74.44%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$32.6K $32.6K

8.47%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

54.39%

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

$170 €146

$254 $254

-32.89%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$82.7 $82.7

-76.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$61.9 $61.9

-45.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$122 $122

-60.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$29.45 $29.45

-32.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$14.18 $14.18

-30.04%

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

$717 €617

$2,076 $2,076

-65.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

-29.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$60.4 $60.4

73.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$42.93 $42.93

9.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$95.6 $95.6

8.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$130 $130

-4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$3,319 $3,319

-49.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$3,166 $3,166

-59.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$4,291 $4,291

-30.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$3,845 $3,845

-48.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$7,640 $7,640

2.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$5,471 $5,471

-14.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$7,085 $7,085

-77.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-36.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for San Rafael, CA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $3,319 in San Rafael, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 348% 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 $112 in San Rafael, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $574 per month, with Lisbon 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 San Rafael, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Rafael, CA differ by about 111% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $4,891 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 348% lower in San Rafael, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $3,319 in San Rafael, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $2,076 in San Rafael, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in San Rafael, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Rafael, CA 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.