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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in San Francisco costs roughly 28% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₡5,006

$15.91 €13.70

-31.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 ₡27.6K

$64.8 €55.8

-6.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 ₡4,425

$10.51 €9.05

-7.90%

Cappuccino

$3.80 ₡1,735

$2.87 €2.47

32.40%

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

$2.01 ₡917

$2.24 €1.93

-10.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡762

$1.50 €1.29

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 ₡1,328

$3.49 €3.01

-16.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ₡2,190

$3.88 €3.34

23.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡893

$1.14 €0.98

71.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,263

$1.75 €1.51

57.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₡1,021

$1.76 €1.51

26.70%

Eggs

$3.04 ₡1,391

$3.22 €2.77

-5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ₡4,636

$13.49 €11.61

-24.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 ₡4,217

$7.91 €6.81

16.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ₡6,164

$15.87 €13.67

-15.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 ₡2,034

$2.31 €1.99

92.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₡685

$1.70 €1.46

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 ₡1,938

$2.01 €1.73

110.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,564

$2.46 €2.12

39.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ₡1,628

$1.84 €1.59

93.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,426

$2.00 €1.72

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡435

$1.93 €1.66

-50.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,326

$0.79 €0.68

267.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 ₡2,460

$6.61 €5.69

-18.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.13 ₡10.1K

$5.72 €4.93

286.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,108

$1.37 €1.18

76.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,303

$2.97 €2.56

-4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₡441

$2.37 €2.04

-59.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡846

$4.29 €3.69

-56.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡839

$0.82 €0.70

124.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ₡3,585

$18.30 €15.76

-57.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡670

$2.06 €1.78

-28.64%

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

$38.4K ₡17.6M

$34.3K €29.5K

12.06%

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

$32.2K ₡14.7M

$39.3K €33.8K

-17.96%

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

$94.7 ₡43.3K

$148 €127

-35.94%

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

$26.37 ₡12.0K

$20.52 €17.67

28.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.68 ₡18.6K

$39.61 €34.10

2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₡25.6K

$47.85 €41.19

16.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 ₡10.9K

$18.92 €16.29

25.85%

Cinema Ticket

$10.14 ₡4,632

$9.18 €7.91

10.46%

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

$567 ₡259.2K

$614 €529

-7.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$16.0K €13.8K

-22.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ₡29.0K

$105 €90.1

-39.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.4K

$42.06 €36.21

21.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡57.9K

$94.0 €80.9

34.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡49.3K

$120 €103

-9.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 ₡350.1K

$1,628 €1,401

-52.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₡275.9K

$1,255 €1,081

-51.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 ₡685.5K

$3,030 €2,609

-50.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 ₡435.2K

$2,020 €1,739

-52.85%

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 %)

10.17

3.81

166.93%

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

Last update for San Francisco: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $60.0 in San Francisco vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $368 vs $269, 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

San Francisco vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $2,389 in San Francisco and $3,315 in Lisbon 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: $766 in San Francisco versus $1,628 in Lisbon. 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 $1,593 per month in San Francisco versus $2,210 in Lisbon – 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, San Francisco 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 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.