Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Calgary is roughly 14% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.91

$15.91 €13.80

16.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.6

$64.8 €56.2

8.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.27

$10.51 €9.12

4.28%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.20

$2.87 €2.49

29.97%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.24 €1.95

-11.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.50 €1.30

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.99

$3.49 €3.03

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.06

$3.88 €3.37

67.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.10

$1.14 €0.99

94.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$1.75 €1.52

52.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.55

$1.76 €1.52

85.23%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.67

$3.22 €2.79

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.21

$13.49 €11.70

7.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.04

$7.91 €6.87

63.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.51

$15.87 €13.77

1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.02

$2.31 €2.00

87.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.70 €1.48

-20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$2.01 €1.74

90.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.83

$2.46 €2.13

69.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.69

$1.84 €1.60

44.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.82

$2.00 €1.74

37.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.85

$1.93 €1.67

43.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$0.79 €0.68

146.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.88

$6.61 €5.73

126.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.45

$5.72 €4.97

156.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.96

$1.37 €1.18

107.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.60

$2.97 €2.58

35.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.37 €2.06

18.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$45.56 €39.52

89.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.02

$4.29 €3.72

-16.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$0.82 €0.71

60.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.43

$18.30 €15.88

58.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$2.06 €1.79

-45.63%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$34.3K €29.7K

-27.49%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$39.3K €34.1K

-44.07%

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

$217 CA$303

$148 €128

46.88%

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

$41.55 CA$57.9

$20.52 €17.80

102.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.9

$39.61 €34.37

46.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.3

$47.85 €41.51

14.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.6

$18.92 €16.42

179.18%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.79

$9.18 €7.97

39.11%

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

$874 CA$1,218

$614 €533

42.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$16.0K €13.9K

-0.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$82.0

$105 €90.8

-43.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.8

$42.06 €36.49

10.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$94.0 €81.5

-7.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

$120 €104

-9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,970

$1,628 €1,412

-13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,634

$1,255 €1,089

-6.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,232

$3,030 €2,629

-23.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,629

$2,020 €1,753

-6.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,424

$7,800 €6,766

-50.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,882

$4,273 €3,707

-18.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,389

$1,603 €1,391

96.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

3.81

49.87%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 96% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

Calgary vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 96% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calgary 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.