Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Portugal Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Portugal

Name: Portugal
Address: PT

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,215 per month in Canada vs $1,684 in Portugal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,237 per month in Canada vs $2,485 in Portugal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,258 per month in Canada vs $3,285 in Portugal, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 32% higher than in Portugal on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Canada and Portugal are pricier than the global median – Canada by 62%, Portugal by 23%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($906–$3,718) than in Portugal ($1,066–$2,296), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 CA$24.77

$13.67 €11.92

29.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$99.4

$52.2 €45.53

36.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.25

$10.29 €8.97

5.93%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.34

$2.13 €1.86

79.34%

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

$2.12 CA$2.97

$2.06 €1.80

2.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.43 €1.25

22.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.07

$2.94 €2.56

96.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 CA$8.00

$3.44 €3.00

66.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CA$3.18

$1.08 €0.94

110.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$1.69 €1.47

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.99

$1.60 €1.40

123.12%

Eggs

$3.64 CA$5.09

$3.49 €3.05

4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 CA$15.43

$11.92 €10.39

-7.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.82

$7.69 €6.70

56.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 CA$21.97

$15.38 €13.41

2.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.84

$2.30 €2.01

81.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.52 €1.32

-7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.31

$1.84 €1.61

106.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.57

$2.56 €2.23

55.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$1.72 €1.50

54.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$2.04 €1.78

24.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$1.49 €1.30

77.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.50

$0.82 €0.72

118.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$6.59 €5.75

115.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 CA$18.49

$5.77 €5.03

129.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$1.35 €1.17

120.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$2.29 €1.99

39.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$2.28 €1.99

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 CA$103

$45.85 €39.97

60.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.56

$3.95 €3.45

-17.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.15

$1.08 €0.94

42.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.66 CA$38.69

$17.14 €14.94

61.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.67

$2.07 €1.81

-42.03%

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

$28.0K CA$39.1K

$34.4K €30.0K

-18.69%

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

$19.4K CA$27.1K

$40.0K €34.9K

-51.55%

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

$151 CA$212

$140 €122

8.31%

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

$43.37 CA$60.7

$20.69 €18.03

109.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CA$83.6

$41.48 €36.16

44.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.88 CA$57.2

$44.02 €38.37

-7.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 CA$27.71

$16.04 €13.98

23.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 CA$15.93

$9.48 €8.27

20.15%

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

$783 CA$1,095

$514 €448

52.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K CA$20.5K

$11.9K €10.4K

22.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CA$77.1

$91.3 €79.6

-39.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.66 CA$55.5

$40.73 €35.51

-2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 CA$125

$89.9 €78.4

-0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$145

$103 €89.8

0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,817

$1,048 €913

23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 CA$1,618

$849 €740

36.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,833

$1,830 €1,595

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 CA$2,489

$1,352 €1,178

31.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,679 CA$6,545

$4,072 €3,549

14.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,883 CA$5,432

$2,928 €2,553

32.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,043 CA$4,257

$1,346 €1,173

126.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

3.75

29.60%

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

Last update for Canada: September 14, 2026

Last update for Portugal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,221 in Canada vs $989 in Portugal. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,493 in Ottawa and $1,662 in Lisbon.

Average salary: $2,963 in Canada vs $1,321 in Portugal. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 23% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 33% more in Canada.

Public transport is 54% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 124% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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

Canada vs Portugal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portugal is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 38% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Portugal, contributing to the overall 38% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Portugal, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Portugal is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.