Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Burlington Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Burlington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $2,693 in Burlington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $3,901 in Burlington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $5,109 in Burlington, rent included.

Lisbon is about 16% cheaper than Burlington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Burlington sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Burlington by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$21.99 CA$30.49

-20.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$71.2 CA$98.8

-9.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$10.97 CA$15.22

6.20%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.44 CA$4.77

-5.23%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.04 CA$2.83

22.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.56 CA$2.16

7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$5.86 CA$8.13

-40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$6.28 CA$8.70

-42.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.68 CA$3.72

-55.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.89 CA$4.01

-32.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$3.92 CA$5.44

-60.20%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.66 CA$5.08

9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.43 CA$14.47

27.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$10.61 CA$14.72

-20.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$15.08 CA$20.92

20.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.84 CA$5.32

-39.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.56 CA$2.16

10.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.72 CA$3.77

-29.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.74 CA$5.19

-29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.94 CA$2.69

-2.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.94 CA$2.70

8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.01 CA$2.79

-28.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.50 CA$2.09

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$13.72 CA$19.03

-48.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$10.84 CA$15.03

-45.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.75 CA$3.81

-50.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.92 CA$4.05

-26.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.76 CA$3.82

-13.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$101 CA$140

-54.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$5.03 CA$6.97

-16.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$2.61 CA$3.63

-57.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$43.00 CA$59.6

-59.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.10 CA$1.53

104.55%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$29.2K CA$40.5K

18.12%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$20.8K CA$28.9K

99.98%

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

$171 €147

$145 CA$201

17.65%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$45.74 CA$63.4

-58.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$68.2 CA$94.6

-49.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$54.1 CA$75.1

-8.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$30.25 CA$41.95

-35.50%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$16.53 CA$22.93

-38.90%

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

$699 €603

$1,191 CA$1,652

-41.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$19.3K CA$26.7K

-7.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$70.1 CA$97.3

49.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$66.4 CA$92.0

-27.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$98.7 CA$137

3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$103 CA$143

24.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$1,669 CA$2,314

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$1,414 CA$1,961

-13.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$2,602 CA$3,608

12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$2,268 CA$3,145

-10.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$5,211 CA$7,227

56.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$4,155 CA$5,763

11.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$3,223 CA$4,471

-49.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.52

-16.37%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Burlington: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $1,669 in Burlington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 99% higher in Burlington, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon versus $71.0 in Burlington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $351 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Burlington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $4,040 in Burlington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $1,191 in Burlington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Burlington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,268 in Lisbon and $2,693 in Burlington. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.