Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $3,185 in Long Beach, CA, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Long Beach, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,185
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Long Beach, CA and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Long Beach, CA and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,185 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Long Beach, CA $3,185
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,857 in Long Beach, CA versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Long Beach, CA $4,857
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,529 in Long Beach, CA versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Long Beach, CA $6,529
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 45% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Long Beach, CA 135% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.67 $19.67
$17.04 €15.15
15.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.7 $78.7
$62.3 €55.4
26.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.48 $14.48
$11.02 €9.80
31.40%
Cappuccino
$6.17 $6.17
$3.12 €2.78
97.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.27 €2.02
44.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 $2.48
$1.74 €1.55
42.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.46 $7.46
$3.42 €3.04
118.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.70 $9.70
$3.74 €3.33
159.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.17 €1.04
-10.26%
White Bread (500g)
$4.13 $4.13
$1.86 €1.66
122.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.65 $4.65
$1.54 €1.37
201.95%
Eggs
$4.63 $4.63
$4.06 €3.61
14.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.11 $13.11
$12.91 €11.49
1.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.28 $14.28
$7.90 €7.03
80.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.21 $15.21
$17.64 €15.69
-13.78%
Apples (1kg)
$4.74 $4.74
$2.26 €2.01
109.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 $1.67
$1.75 €1.55
-4.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 $4.80
$1.89 €1.68
153.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.84 $4.84
$2.56 €2.27
89.06%
Potato (1kg)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.85 €1.64
87.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.97 €1.75
13.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.04 $2.04
$1.45 €1.29
40.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 $1.83
$0.77 €0.69
137.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.56 $11.56
$6.71 €5.97
72.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.06 $15.06
$5.67 €5.04
165.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.37 €1.22
40.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 $3.29
$2.11 €1.88
55.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.32 €2.07
-24.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.9 $68.9
$44.43 €39.52
55.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 $2.92
$3.95 €3.51
-26.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.05 €0.93
98.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.25 $28.25
$17.15 €15.26
64.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 $1.54
$2.19 €1.95
-29.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K $28.5K
$33.8K €30.0K
-15.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$38.3K €34.0K
-32.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 $169
$164 €146
2.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$66.3 $66.3
$18.48 €16.43
258.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.3 $60.3
$32.96 €29.32
83.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.49 $39.49
$45.87 €40.80
-13.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.68 €16.61
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.84 $14.84
$9.75 €8.67
52.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,912 $1,912
$684 €608
179.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.2K $36.2K
$17.6K €15.7K
105.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 $58.5
$104 €92.3
-43.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.11 $40.11
$46.20 €41.09
-13.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.9 $93.9
$99.7 €88.7
-5.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 $142
$125 €111
14.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,057 $2,057
$1,589 €1,414
29.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,813 $1,813
$1,169 €1,040
55.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,672 $3,672
$2,851 €2,536
28.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,462 $3,462
$1,993 €1,773
73.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,440 $7,440
$7,793 €6,932
-4.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,677 $6,677
$4,418 €3,930
51.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Long Beach, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,419 $4,419
$1,600 €1,423
176.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.39
3.85
65.97%

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

Last update for Long Beach, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Long Beach, CA
$1.8K
Lisbon
$1.2K 35.5% $644
Groceries & Markets
Long Beach, CA
$414
Lisbon
$273 34% $141
Eating Out
Long Beach, CA
$355
Lisbon
$247 30.2% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Long Beach, CA
$295
Lisbon
$215 27.1% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Long Beach, CA
$151
Lisbon
$168 11.8% $18
Getting Around
Long Beach, CA
$89
Lisbon
$63 29.5% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Long Beach, CA
$69
Lisbon
$65 5.5% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,057 in Long Beach, CA and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 176% 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: $79.0 in Long Beach, CA vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Long Beach, CA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
15:38 3:38 PM
23:38 11:38 PM
8 h ahead of Long Beach, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
469,450
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Long Beach, CA Lisbon 9,140 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Long Beach, CA
  • Lisbon

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
Long Beach, CA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Long Beach, CA and in Lisbon?
Long Beach, CA and Lisbon differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($3,185 vs $2,202 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Long Beach, CA or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 176% higher in Long Beach, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Long Beach, CA and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,057 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Long Beach, CA and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,912 in Long Beach, CA versus $684 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Long Beach, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $3,185 in Long Beach, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Long Beach, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Long Beach, CA and Lisbon?
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.
Is Long Beach, CA or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Long Beach, CA and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Long Beach, CA or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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