Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santa Monica, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santa Monica, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $4,561 in Santa Monica, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $6,985 in Santa Monica, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $9,408 in Santa Monica, CA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 52% less than in Santa Monica, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Santa Monica, CA 240% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$25.17 $25.17

-36.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$98.5 $98.5

-34.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$12.35 $12.35

-14.90%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$5.59 $5.59

-48.66%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.95 $2.95

-24.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.26 $2.26

-33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$8.61 $8.61

-59.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$9.24 $9.24

-58.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.18 $1.18

-3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$4.29 $4.29

-59.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$4.37 $4.37

-59.73%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$6.99 $6.99

-53.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$12.47 $12.47

8.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$13.90 $13.90

-43.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$14.69 $14.69

8.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$5.60 $5.60

-58.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.96 $3.96

-49.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$5.72 $5.72

-56.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.97 $2.97

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.51 $2.51

-20.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.90 $1.90

1.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.16 $2.16

-63.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$10.97 $10.97

-39.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$15.15 $15.15

-62.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.52 $2.52

-45.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$5.15 $5.15

-42.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.18 $2.18

8.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$78.8 $78.8

-42.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.07 $3.07

39.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.71 $1.71

-52.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$28.91 $28.91

-36.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.30 $1.30

58.46%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$24.4K $24.4K

40.78%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

56.19%

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

$148 €127

$192 $192

-22.88%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$58.9 $58.9

-65.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$65.8 $65.8

-39.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$122 $122

-60.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$45.04 $45.04

-57.99%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$18.15 $18.15

-49.42%

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

$614 €528

$1,806 $1,806

-66.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$14.8K $14.8K

8.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$62.3 $62.3

67.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$34.90 $34.90

20.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$103 $103

-8.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$152 $152

-21.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$3,293 $3,293

-50.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$2,878 $2,878

-56.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$6,994 $6,994

-56.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$5,951 $5,951

-66.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$10.8K $10.8K

-27.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$8,190 $8,190

-47.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$7,147 $7,147

-77.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.49

-41.29%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Monica, CA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $3,293 in Santa Monica, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Monica, CA pays 346% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $98.0 in Santa Monica, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $436 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 Santa Monica, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santa Monica, CA differ by about 106% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $4,561 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santa Monica, CA earns 346% less. 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $3,293 in Santa Monica, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $1,806 in Santa Monica, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica, 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 106% less than in Santa Monica, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.