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: $1,583 in San Francisco versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,427 in San Francisco versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,270 in San Francisco versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in San Francisco costs roughly 31% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Francisco 18% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 ₡4,922

$16.19 €14.18

-32.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 ₡27.0K

$63.3 €55.5

-4.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 ₡4,387

$10.32 €9.04

-4.94%

Cappuccino

$3.96 ₡1,769

$2.83 €2.48

39.93%

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

$2.00 ₡894

$2.29 €2.01

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₡706

$1.58 €1.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,346

$3.40 €2.98

-11.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ₡2,081

$4.03 €3.53

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡873

$1.09 €0.96

78.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 ₡1,275

$1.75 €1.53

62.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ₡965

$1.76 €1.54

22.73%

Eggs

$2.92 ₡1,308

$3.17 €2.77

-7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 ₡4,459

$13.19 €11.56

-24.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 ₡4,181

$7.97 €6.98

17.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 ₡6,046

$15.53 €13.60

-13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 ₡1,959

$2.37 €2.07

84.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡643

$1.71 €1.49

-15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 ₡1,890

$2.01 €1.76

109.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 ₡1,602

$2.43 €2.13

47.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 ₡1,563

$1.76 €1.54

98.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 ₡1,402

$2.03 €1.78

54.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡462

$1.92 €1.68

-46.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₡1,312

$0.85 €0.74

244.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 ₡2,408

$6.58 €5.76

-18.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.73 ₡9,723

$5.58 €4.89

289.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,126

$1.33 €1.17

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₡1,321

$2.97 €2.60

-0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₡424

$2.28 €1.99

-58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₡811

$4.23 €3.70

-57.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡807

$0.81 €0.71

122.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 ₡3,605

$18.44 €16.15

-56.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡626

$2.08 €1.82

-32.69%

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

$37.5K ₡16.8M

$34.7K €30.4K

8.03%

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

$32.0K ₡14.3M

$39.2K €34.3K

-18.40%

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

$93.2 ₡41.7K

$148 €130

-37.08%

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

$26.23 ₡11.7K

$20.46 €17.92

28.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.37 ₡17.6K

$39.56 €34.64

-0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₡25.3K

$47.99 €42.03

17.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.45 ₡10.5K

$18.60 €16.29

26.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 ₡4,321

$9.22 €8.08

4.77%

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

$560 ₡250.4K

$616 €540

-9.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$16.4K €14.4K

-22.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ₡27.8K

$103 €90.0

-39.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡22.9K

$41.74 €36.55

22.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡55.6K

$94.8 €83.0

31.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡48.5K

$122 €107

-11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ₡343.6K

$1,633 €1,430

-52.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₡268.9K

$1,232 €1,079

-51.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ₡669.1K

$3,098 €2,713

-51.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 ₡429.7K

$2,031 €1,779

-52.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in San Francisco and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in San Francisco vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $369 vs $267, 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,583 vs $2,291 including rent). San Francisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,375 in San Francisco and $3,437 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: $768 in San Francisco versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,583 per month in San Francisco versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,583 in San Francisco versus $2,291 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 45% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.