Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,462 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,522 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,582 in Cambridge.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 7% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Cambridge 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$14.82 CA$20.85

9.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$65.2 CA$91.7

-2.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$10.00 CA$14.07

3.20%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.68 CA$5.18

-23.10%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.21 CA$3.11

3.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.61 CA$2.27

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$5.84 CA$8.21

-41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$6.56 CA$9.22

-38.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$2.23 CA$3.13

-51.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.25 CA$3.16

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.99 CA$4.21

-41.14%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.20 CA$4.50

-0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$8.67 CA$12.20

52.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$11.95 CA$16.81

-33.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$13.75 CA$19.35

12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.99 CA$5.61

-40.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.22 CA$1.72

40.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.68 CA$5.18

-45.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.91 CA$5.51

-37.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.73 CA$3.84

-35.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.46 CA$3.45

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.24 CA$3.16

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.57 CA$2.21

-45.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$13.40 CA$18.85

-50.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$12.25 CA$17.24

-54.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.45 CA$3.44

-45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.16 CA$4.45

-6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.56 CA$3.60

-10.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$66.6 CA$93.7

-31.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.61 CA$3.67

62.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.71 CA$2.40

-52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$23.84 CA$33.54

-22.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.11 CA$1.56

87.39%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$25.4K CA$35.7K

36.50%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

93.04%

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

$148 €130

$151 CA$212

-1.86%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$39.94 CA$56.2

-48.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$54.1 CA$76.1

-26.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$29.81 CA$41.94

60.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$11.55 CA$16.26

-20.17%

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

$616 €540

$556 CA$782

10.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$10.4K CA$14.7K

57.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$55.4 CA$78.0

85.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$34.68 CA$48.80

20.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$70.6 CA$99.4

34.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$110 CA$155

10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,410 CA$1,984

15.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$1,377 CA$1,938

-10.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$2,684 CA$3,776

15.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$2,127 CA$2,993

-4.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$4,165 CA$5,861

88.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$3,848 CA$5,414

14.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$3,007 CA$4,231

-46.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.64

-42.62%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,410 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 87% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $65.0 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $342 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

Lisbon vs Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 87% lower in Cambridge. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,410 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Cambridge. 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 $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,462 in Cambridge, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Cambridge 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 7% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.