Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockton, CA and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,203 a month against $2,796 in Stockton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Stockton, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,796
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,203
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,796 in Stockton, CA versus $2,203 in Lisbon.

  • Stockton, CA $2,796
  • Lisbon $2,203

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,255 in Stockton, CA versus $3,237 in Lisbon.

  • Stockton, CA $4,255
  • Lisbon $3,237

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,715 in Stockton, CA versus $4,272 in Lisbon.

  • Stockton, CA $5,715
  • Lisbon $4,272

Living in Stockton, CA is roughly 27% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stockton, CA 109% above, Lisbon 64% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.33 $22.33
$17.01 €15.18
31.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.0 $74.0
$62.7 €55.9
17.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.83 $11.83
$11.42 €10.19
3.59%
Cappuccino
$5.79 $5.79
$3.09 €2.75
87.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 $3.21
$2.37 €2.11
35.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.66 €1.48
36.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.93 $7.93
$3.46 €3.09
129.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.67 $6.67
$3.29 €2.93
102.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.17 €1.04
21.37%
White Bread (500g)
$4.37 $4.37
$1.87 €1.66
133.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.23 $4.23
$1.52 €1.36
178.29%
Eggs
$5.75 $5.75
$3.88 €3.46
48.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.85 $8.85
$12.87 €11.49
-31.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.29 $14.29
$7.94 €7.08
79.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.19 $22.19
$17.63 €15.73
25.87%
Apples (1kg)
$5.41 $5.41
$2.26 €2.01
139.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 $1.30
$1.76 €1.57
-26.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.57 $3.57
$1.88 €1.68
89.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.61 $5.61
$2.47 €2.20
127.13%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 $2.09
$1.86 €1.66
12.37%
Onion (1kg)
$3.02 $3.02
$2.07 €1.85
45.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.39 €1.24
69.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$0.81 €0.73
218.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.58 $11.58
$6.89 €6.15
68.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.31 $15.31
$5.53 €4.93
176.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.33 €1.19
27.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 $1.22
$2.17 €1.93
-43.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.24 €2.00
12.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.61 $40.61
$45.14 €40.28
-10.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.42 $3.42
$4.00 €3.57
-14.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.04 $3.04
$1.07 €0.95
184.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.63 $29.63
$16.53 €14.75
79.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.58 $1.58
$2.26 €2.02
-30.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$33.5K €29.9K
-24.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$40.5K €36.1K
-36.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$271 $271
$164 €146
65.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$47.03 $47.03
$18.54 €16.55
153.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.2 $84.2
$33.21 €29.63
153.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.39 $37.39
$46.01 €41.06
-18.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.80 €16.78
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.92 $13.92
$9.47 €8.45
46.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$248 $248
$690 €615
-63.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.9K $14.9K
$16.9K €15.0K
-11.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0 $60.0
$105 €93.4
-42.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.28 $29.28
$45.27 €40.40
-35.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.5 $80.5
$99.0 €88.3
-18.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 $72.0
$124 €111
-41.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,583 $1,583
$1,583 €1,413
0.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,349 $1,349
$1,209 €1,079
11.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,866 $2,866
$2,833 €2,528
1.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,596 $2,596
$1,964 €1,753
32.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,009 $3,009
$7,643 €6,820
-60.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,047 $3,047
$4,431 €3,954
-31.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stockton, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,835 $3,835
$1,573 €1,403
143.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.49
3.79
71.24%

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

Last update for Stockton, CA: October 4, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Stockton, CA
$1.3K
Lisbon
$1.2K 10.3% $140
Groceries & Markets
Stockton, CA
$434
Lisbon
$272 37.3% $162
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stockton, CA
$402
Lisbon
$215 46.5% $187
Eating Out
Stockton, CA
$359
Lisbon
$247 31% $111
Clothing & Footwear
Stockton, CA
$109
Lisbon
$168 54.2% $59
Getting Around
Stockton, CA
$69
Lisbon
$63 8.5% $5.9
Sport & Entertainment
Stockton, CA
$65
Lisbon
$65 0.4% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Stockton, CA and $1,583 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stockton, CA pays 144% 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: $74.0 in Stockton, CA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Stockton, CA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
00:46 12:46 AM
08:46 8:46 AM
8 h ahead of Stockton, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
305,658
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 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Stockton, CA Lisbon 9,030 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Stockton, 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
Stockton, CA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Stockton, CA and in Lisbon?
Stockton, CA and Lisbon differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,796 vs $2,203 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Stockton, CA or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 144% higher in Stockton, 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 Stockton, CA and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,583 in Stockton, CA versus $1,583 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 Stockton, CA and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $248 in Stockton, CA versus $690 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 60% higher in Stockton, 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 $2,203 in Lisbon versus $2,796 in Stockton, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Stockton, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Stockton, 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 Stockton, CA or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Stockton, 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: Stockton, CA or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Stockton, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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