Cost of Living Comparison Between Mountain View, CA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Mountain View, CA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,598 in Mountain View, CA versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,493 in Mountain View, CA versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,387 in Mountain View, CA versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Mountain View, CA is roughly 100% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mountain View, CA 236% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$17.59 €15.33

14.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$62.9 €54.8

62.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$11.58 €10.10

3.89%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$3.10 €2.70

67.74%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$2.49 €2.17

12.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.74 €1.52

52.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.48 €3.03

95.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.20 $10.20

$3.44 €3.00

196.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.15 €1.00

10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.91 €1.66

131.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.50 €1.31

214.67%

Eggs

$5.48 $5.48

$3.98 €3.47

37.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.71 $16.71

$13.29 €11.59

25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.01 €6.98

48.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$18.04 €15.73

-26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$2.35 €2.05

132.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.75 €1.53

-1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.85 €1.62

143.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.55 €2.22

114.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.84 €1.61

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$2.10 €1.83

170.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.49 €1.30

28.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.82 €0.71

231.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 $11.51

$7.10 €6.19

62.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 $13.06

$5.91 €5.15

120.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.31 €1.15

58.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.13 €1.86

15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.36 €2.05

115.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.08 €3.55

-1.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.14 €0.99

342.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$2.31 €2.01

-38.96%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$34.1K €29.7K

8.92%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$41.4K €36.1K

-37.28%

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

$295 $295

$169 €147

75.25%

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

$44.81 $44.81

$19.33 €16.85

131.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 $63.2

$33.51 €29.21

88.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.1 $73.1

$48.84 €42.57

49.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.04 $12.04

$19.43 €16.94

-38.03%

Cinema Ticket

$16.96 $16.96

$9.57 €8.34

77.22%

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

$2,323 $2,323

$696 €607

233.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$17.4K €15.1K

38.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$105 €91.8

-50.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$100 $100

$47.75 €41.62

110.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 $152

$101 €87.6

50.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$124 €108

20.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,917 $2,917

$1,662 €1,449

75.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,987 $2,987

$1,246 €1,086

139.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,572 $5,572

$2,965 €2,584

87.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,106 $5,106

$2,049 €1,786

149.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K $10.4K

$7,834 €6,829

32.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K $10.1K

$4,464 €3,892

126.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,549 $9,549

$1,632 €1,422

485.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

3.78

61.38%

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

Last update for Mountain View, CA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,917 in Mountain View, CA and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mountain View, CA pays 485% 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: $102 in Mountain View, CA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 vs $277 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

Mountain View, CA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mountain View, CA and Lisbon differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($4,598 vs $2,296 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 485% higher in Mountain View, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,917 in Mountain View, CA versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Mountain View, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,598 per month in Mountain View, CA versus $2,296 in Lisbon – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, Mountain View, 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.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Mountain View, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.