Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,778 per month in Burlington vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,107 per month in Burlington vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,436 per month in Burlington vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Burlington costs about 26% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Burlington and Lisbon sit above the global median – Burlington by 107%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 CA$28.02

$15.91 €13.70

26.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$64.8 €55.8

14.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$10.51 €9.05

4.28%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$2.87 €2.47

27.87%

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

$2.01 CA$2.80

$2.24 €1.93

-10.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.50 €1.29

15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.14

$3.49 €3.01

67.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.09

$3.88 €3.34

68.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.14 €0.98

74.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$1.75 €1.51

75.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.99

$1.76 €1.51

144.89%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.43

$3.22 €2.77

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.98

$13.49 €11.61

1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.72

$7.91 €6.81

15.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.94 CA$30.51

$15.87 €13.67

38.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$2.31 €1.99

49.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.70 €1.46

-16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$2.01 €1.73

85.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.86

$2.46 €2.12

41.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.84 €1.59

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$2.00 €1.72

-10.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$1.93 €1.66

8.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$0.79 €0.68

153.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 CA$20.50

$6.61 €5.69

123.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.56

$5.72 €4.93

120.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.29

$1.37 €1.18

72.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.97 €2.56

-21.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.37 €2.04

43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$45.56 €39.22

131.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$4.29 €3.69

-45.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$0.82 €0.70

107.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.79 CA$60.9

$18.30 €15.76

139.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$2.06 €1.78

-43.20%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$34.3K €29.5K

-26.69%

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

$21.4K CA$29.8K

$39.3K €33.8K

-45.48%

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

$131 CA$182

$148 €127

-11.67%

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

$53.2 CA$74.0

$20.52 €17.67

159.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$39.61 €34.10

56.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 CA$63.2

$47.85 €41.19

-5.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 CA$32.38

$18.92 €16.29

23.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.60

$9.18 €7.91

22.22%

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

$952 CA$1,324

$614 €529

55.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K CA$33.3K

$16.0K €13.8K

49.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 CA$86.4

$105 €90.1

-40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 CA$96.5

$42.06 €36.21

64.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$94.0 €80.9

-6.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 CA$189

$120 €103

13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,410

$1,628 €1,401

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,045

$1,255 €1,081

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 CA$3,671

$3,030 €2,609

-12.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CA$3,393

$2,020 €1,739

20.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,745 CA$7,989

$7,800 €6,715

-26.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,546 CA$6,322

$4,273 €3,678

6.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,278 CA$4,559

$1,603 €1,380

104.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

3.81

67.98%

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

Last update for Burlington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,733 in Burlington versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 104% higher in Burlington, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Burlington versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $269 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Burlington vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,167 per month in Burlington and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $952 per month in Burlington and $614 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Burlington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,778 in Burlington and $2,210 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.