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Lisbon vs San Francisco cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐น Lisbon
๐บ๐ธ San Francisco
At a glance
- Where Lisbon is clearly cheaper: Street food (69%โ), Beer (68%โ), Coffee (64%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
San Francisco is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Lisbon 2 vs San Francisco 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Lisbon | San Francisco | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 12$14 | $ 25$25 | Lisbon โ44% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 4$4.65 | $ 15$15 | Lisbon โ69% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 30$34.9 | $ 55$55 | Lisbon โ37% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 2$2.33 | $ 6.5$6.5 | Lisbon โ64% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | $ 9$9 | Lisbon โ68% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 9$10.5 | $ 17$17 | Lisbon โ38% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Lisbon โ63% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | $ 3$3 | Lisbon โ42% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 7$8.14 | $ 16$16 | Lisbon โ49% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 5$5.81 | $ 11$11 | Lisbon โ47% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 1.9$2.21 | $ 2.85$2.85 | Lisbon โ22% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 40$46.5 | $ 45$45 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 140$163 | $ 200$200 | Lisbon โ19% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 1,300$1,512 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Lisbon โ54% |
| Laundry | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | $ 5$5 | Lisbon โ42% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | $ 25$25 | Lisbon โ30% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 15$17.4 | $ 38$38 | Lisbon โ54% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 50$58.1 | $ 110$110 | Lisbon โ47% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 40$46.5 | $ 70$70 | Lisbon โ34% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 15$17.4 | $ 35$35 | Lisbon โ50% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Lisbon or San Francisco?
Lisbon is 43% cheaper than San Francisco. Daily budget $272 vs $391; a month $5,020 vs $10,400.
Which is easier to travel, Lisbon or San Francisco?
San Francisco is easier: San Francisco 1.6/5 vs Lisbon 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Lisbon and San Francisco?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Lisbon is about $5,020 and San Francisco about $10,400 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.