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 $2,320 per month in Canada vs $1,627 in Portugal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Canada vs $2,402 in Portugal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,432 per month in Canada vs $3,177 in Portugal, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 43% 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 74%, Portugal by 22%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($1,313–$3,141) than in Portugal ($1,071–$2,330), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.11 CA$25.38

$11.44 €9.91

58.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 CA$104

$52.0 €45.05

41.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.72

$9.19 €7.96

22.09%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.30

$2.17 €1.88

74.19%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$2.05 €1.77

5.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.40 €1.21

25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.22

$2.98 €2.58

96.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.27

$3.50 €3.04

68.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$1.10 €0.95

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 CA$3.92

$1.57 €1.36

77.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.10

$1.66 €1.44

119.28%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.94

$3.16 €2.73

11.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.02

$11.93 €10.33

-4.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 CA$17.53

$7.85 €6.80

59.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 CA$21.04

$14.65 €12.68

2.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.91

$2.30 €1.99

83.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$1.44 €1.25

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.52

$1.82 €1.57

116.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.81

$2.58 €2.24

60.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.88

$1.69 €1.46

63.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.89

$1.99 €1.73

39.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.60 €1.39

59.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.61

$0.81 €0.70

129.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.43

$6.54 €5.67

122.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.23 CA$18.54

$5.72 €4.95

131.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.11

$1.32 €1.14

122.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.58

$2.43 €2.10

34.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$2.37 €2.05

10.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.3 CA$110

$46.49 €40.26

68.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 CA$4.92

$4.09 €3.54

-14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.17

$1.00 €0.87

55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.22

$17.39 €15.06

65.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.93 €1.67

-37.82%

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

$24.6K CA$34.5K

$34.1K €29.5K

-27.74%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$39.4K €34.2K

-47.89%

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

$155 CA$217

$133 €115

16.88%

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

$46.34 CA$64.9

$21.23 €18.38

118.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 CA$89.0

$42.27 €36.61

50.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.90 CA$60.1

$43.35 €37.54

-1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.87 CA$25.04

$16.41 €14.21

8.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 CA$16.11

$8.74 €7.57

31.58%

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

$815 CA$1,142

$500 €433

63.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.9K

$12.3K €10.6K

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$78.0

$91.9 €79.6

-39.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.56 CA$59.6

$39.81 €34.47

6.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 CA$124

$89.5 €77.5

-1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$102 €88.7

4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 CA$1,866

$1,052 €911

26.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 CA$1,649

$856 €742

37.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 CA$3,074

$1,816 €1,572

20.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 CA$2,645

$1,323 €1,146

42.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,592 CA$6,435

$3,995 €3,459

14.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,805 CA$5,332

$2,839 €2,459

34.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,913 CA$4,081

$1,292 €1,119

125.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

4.83

31.06%

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

Last update for Canada: July 25, 2026

Last update for Portugal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,283 in Canada vs $938 in Portugal. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,468 in Ottawa and $1,612 in Lisbon.

Average salary: $2,911 in Canada vs $1,294 in Portugal. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 37% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 42% more in Canada.

Public transport is 59% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 125% 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 31% 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 31% 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.