Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,047 in Iqaluit, NU versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,042 in Iqaluit, NU versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 38% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iqaluit, NU 128% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CA$43.33

$15.91 €13.69

96.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.0

$64.8 €55.7

1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 CA$17.96

$10.51 €9.04

23.41%

Cappuccino

$6.69 CA$9.26

$2.87 €2.47

133.10%

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

$3.99 CA$5.53

$2.24 €1.93

78.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.50 €1.29

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 CA$9.53

$3.49 €3.00

97.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.30

$3.88 €3.34

54.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$1.14 €0.98

114.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$1.75 €1.51

53.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.16

$1.76 €1.51

70.45%

Eggs

$4.41 CA$6.11

$3.22 €2.77

36.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 CA$16.85

$13.49 €11.61

-9.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 CA$18.86

$7.91 €6.81

72.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.77 CA$34.30

$15.87 €13.65

56.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.31 €1.99

-12.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.12

$1.70 €1.46

75.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$2.01 €1.73

-1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.81

$2.46 €2.12

-17.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.10

$1.84 €1.59

60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$2.00 €1.72

95.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$1.93 €1.66

54.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.92

$0.79 €0.68

349.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.98

$6.61 €5.68

118.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 CA$17.73

$5.72 €4.92

123.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.37 €1.17

6.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$2.97 €2.56

-26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.37 €2.04

-0.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 CA$200

$45.56 €39.19

216.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.82 CA$9.44

$4.29 €3.69

58.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 CA$0.98

$0.82 €0.70

-13.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.47 CA$35.26

$18.30 €15.74

39.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$2.06 €1.78

-38.35%

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

$50.5K CA$70.0K

$34.3K €29.5K

47.42%

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

$45.7K CA$63.3K

$39.3K €33.8K

16.29%

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

$119 CA$164

$148 €127

-19.67%

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

$54.3 CA$75.2

$20.52 €17.65

164.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$77.9

$39.61 €34.08

42.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 CA$58.3

$47.85 €41.16

-12.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 CA$30.49

$18.92 €16.28

16.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.77

$9.18 €7.90

-7.41%

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

$1,019 CA$1,411

$614 €528

65.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,997 CA$5,534

$16.0K €13.8K

-75.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.0

$105 €90.0

-39.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 CA$51.1

$42.06 €36.18

-12.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$143

$94.0 €80.8

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$120 €103

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 CA$2,336

$1,628 €1,400

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 CA$2,169

$1,255 €1,080

24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,136 CA$4,342

$3,030 €2,607

3.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 CA$2,545

$2,020 €1,738

-9.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,603 CA$6,373

$7,800 €6,709

-40.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,811 CA$5,277

$4,273 €3,675

-10.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 CA$5,952

$1,603 €1,379

168.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.1

3.81

112.60%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 168% 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: $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 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

Iqaluit, NU vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iqaluit, NU pays 168% 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: $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,019 in Iqaluit, NU versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

Safety-wise, Iqaluit, NU 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 38% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.