Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saratoga, CA and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $2,517 in Saratoga, CA, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Saratoga, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,517
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saratoga, 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 Saratoga, CA and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,517 in Saratoga, CA versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Saratoga, CA $2,517
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,732 in Saratoga, CA versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Saratoga, CA $3,732
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,947 in Saratoga, CA versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Saratoga, CA $4,947
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Saratoga, CA is roughly 14% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saratoga, CA 86% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.17 $25.17
$17.04 €15.15
47.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$110 $110
$62.3 €55.4
76.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.16 $13.16
$11.02 €9.80
19.42%
Cappuccino
$4.98 $4.98
$3.12 €2.78
59.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.27 €2.02
-13.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.74 €1.55
-43.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 $3.09
$3.42 €3.04
-9.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.08 $6.08
$3.74 €3.33
62.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 $1.30
$1.17 €1.04
11.11%
White Bread (500g)
$3.39 $3.39
$1.86 €1.66
82.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$1.54 €1.37
111.04%
Eggs
$3.95 $3.95
$4.06 €3.61
-2.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.53 $5.53
$12.91 €11.49
-57.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 $4.35
$7.90 €7.03
-44.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.87 $10.87
$17.64 €15.69
-38.38%
Apples (1kg)
$4.67 $4.67
$2.26 €2.01
106.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.75 €1.55
-38.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.89 €1.68
-40.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$2.56 €2.27
26.95%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 $0.76
$1.85 €1.64
-58.92%
Onion (1kg)
$0.80 $0.80
$1.97 €1.75
-59.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.45 €1.29
-15.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$0.77 €0.69
89.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.72 $11.72
$6.71 €5.97
74.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.91 $3.91
$5.67 €5.04
-31.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 $1.74
$1.37 €1.22
27.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63 $4.63
$2.11 €1.88
119.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.32 €2.07
-12.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.9 $65.9
$44.43 €39.52
48.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.51 $3.51
$3.95 €3.51
-11.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.05 €0.93
-15.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.05 $26.05
$17.15 €15.26
51.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 $1.48
$2.19 €1.95
-32.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K $21.9K
$33.8K €30.0K
-35.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K $24.7K
$38.3K €34.0K
-35.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$288 $288
$164 €146
75.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.61 $35.61
$18.48 €16.43
92.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.64 $29.64
$32.96 €29.32
-10.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.95 $40.95
$45.87 €40.80
-10.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.11 $15.11
$18.68 €16.61
-19.11%
Cinema Ticket
$7.96 $7.96
$9.75 €8.67
-18.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,407 $1,407
$684 €608
105.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$42.0K $42.0K
$17.6K €15.7K
138.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.80 $39.80
$104 €92.3
-61.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.03 $25.03
$46.20 €41.09
-45.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.1 $76.1
$99.7 €88.7
-23.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$152 $152
$125 €111
21.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,584 $1,584
$1,589 €1,414
-0.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,304 $1,304
$1,169 €1,040
11.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,492 $2,492
$2,851 €2,536
-12.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,139 $2,139
$1,993 €1,773
7.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,515 $2,515
$7,793 €6,932
-67.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 $2,359
$4,418 €3,930
-46.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saratoga, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,088 $8,088
$1,600 €1,423
405.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
3.85
55.84%

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

Last update for Saratoga, CA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saratoga, CA
$1.3K
Lisbon
$1.2K 10.3% $135
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saratoga, CA
$354
Lisbon
$215 39.1% $138
Eating Out
Saratoga, CA
$340
Lisbon
$247 27.2% $93
Groceries & Markets
Saratoga, CA
$249
Lisbon
$273 9.5% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Saratoga, CA
$132
Lisbon
$168 27.9% $37
Getting Around
Saratoga, CA
$82
Lisbon
$63 23.2% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Saratoga, CA
$57
Lisbon
$65 14.9% $8.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,584 in Saratoga, CA and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saratoga, CA pays 406% 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: $110 in Saratoga, CA vs $62.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $273, with Saratoga, CA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Saratoga, CA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
02:32 2:32 AM
10:32 10:32 AM
8 h ahead of Saratoga, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
30,153
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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saratoga, CA Lisbon 9,130 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saratoga, 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
Saratoga, CA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Saratoga, CA and in Lisbon?
Saratoga, CA and Lisbon differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,517 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: Saratoga, CA or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 406% higher in Saratoga, 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 Saratoga, CA and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,584 in Saratoga, 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 Saratoga, CA and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,407 in Saratoga, 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?
Shoppers in Saratoga, CA pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,517 in Saratoga, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Saratoga, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Saratoga, 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 Saratoga, CA or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Saratoga, 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: Saratoga, CA or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Saratoga, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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