Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,625 in Guelph versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,832 in Guelph versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,038 in Guelph versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Guelph is roughly 13% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Guelph 91% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.54 CA$29.71

$17.30 €14.87

24.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$100

$63.3 €54.4

14.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 CA$15.71

$11.39 €9.79

Cappuccino

$3.43 CA$4.73

$3.19 €2.74

7.52%

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

$1.46 CA$2.01

$2.45 €2.10

-40.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 CA$1.88

$1.76 €1.52

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 CA$6.76

$3.59 €3.09

36.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CA$8.51

$3.39 €2.92

82.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.09

$1.24 €1.06

80.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.06

$1.98 €1.71

48.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.16

$1.52 €1.31

146.05%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.05

$4.04 €3.47

-27.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 CA$13.48

$13.54 €11.64

-27.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.89 CA$21.91

$8.39 €7.21

89.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.48 CA$47.55

$18.25 €15.69

88.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.02

$2.29 €1.97

58.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.74 €1.50

-25.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.73

$1.86 €1.60

162.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.71

$2.63 €2.26

57.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$1.92 €1.65

74.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CA$3.31

$2.09 €1.80

14.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 CA$3.98

$1.44 €1.24

100.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$0.84 €0.72

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CA$15.58

$6.78 €5.83

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 CA$15.54

$5.71 €4.91

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 CA$4.85

$1.38 €1.18

154.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.31

$2.22 €1.91

40.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$2.40 €2.06

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 CA$95.1

$46.78 €40.22

47.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 CA$3.31

$4.17 €3.59

-42.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 CA$2.55

$1.14 €0.98

62.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 CA$33.49

$17.68 €15.20

37.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$2.32 €2.00

-50.86%

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

$28.1K CA$38.8K

$35.3K €30.4K

-20.43%

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

$20.6K CA$28.4K

$41.4K €35.6K

-50.37%

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

$126 CA$174

$170 €146

-25.96%

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

$44.45 CA$61.3

$19.34 €16.62

129.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 CA$78.1

$33.64 €28.92

68.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 CA$79.4

$48.10 €41.35

19.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 CA$20.04

$19.90 €17.11

-26.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 CA$15.06

$9.92 €8.53

10.08%

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

$816 CA$1,125

$717 €617

13.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K CA$23.9K

$17.5K €15.0K

-0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 CA$88.8

$105 €90.1

-38.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.26 CA$51.4

$46.95 €40.36

-20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$120

$103 €88.9

-15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 CA$171

$124 €107

-0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CA$2,054

$1,677 €1,441

-11.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 CA$1,934

$1,271 €1,093

10.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,118 CA$2,921

$2,985 €2,566

-29.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 CA$2,743

$1,992 €1,713

-0.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,906 CA$6,765

$7,826 €6,728

-37.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,931 CA$6,799

$4,658 €4,004

5.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,269 CA$4,508

$1,583 €1,361

106.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

3.79

31.66%

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

Last update for Guelph: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Guelph and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 107% 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: $73.0 in Guelph vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $283 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

Guelph vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 107% higher in Guelph, 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: $1,489 in Guelph versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Guelph. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $73.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 Guelph, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Guelph 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 13% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.