Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and the Canaries

For one person, living is cheaper in the Canaries: $185 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $24,300 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,210

/mo nomad

Canaries

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

$185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in the Canaries

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in the Canaries actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $185 in the Canaries, rent included.

Lisbon $2,210
Canaries $185

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $278 in the Canaries, rent included.

Lisbon $3,275
Canaries $278

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $370 in the Canaries, rent included.

Lisbon $4,341
Canaries $370

Lisbon costs about 1094% more than the Canaries.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Canaries is 86% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.65 €14.91

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 €55.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €10.17

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.66

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

$2.29 €2.05

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.56

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €3.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.96

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.04

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.71

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 €1.35

Eggs

$4.02 €3.60

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 €11.59

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 €6.96

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 €15.91

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.06

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.55

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.66

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.32

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.63

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.32

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.90

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 €5.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.68 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 €3.45

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.46 €14.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.97

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

$34.2K €30.6K

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

$38.7K €34.7K

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

$161 €144

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

$18.41 €16.49

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.74 €29.32

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.55 €39.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 €17.10

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 €8.60

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

$668 €598

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €91.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 €39.82

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 €88.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 €1,440

$183 EC$494

779.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 €1,066

$185 EC$500

542.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 €2,519

$297 EC$803

845.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,803

$370 EC$1,000

443.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,839 €7,021

$186 EC$502

4113.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,576 €4,098

$259 EC$699

1668.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 €1,411

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for the Canaries: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.8%

Canaries

–

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$272 12.3%

Canaries

–

Eating Out

Lisbon

$243 11%

Canaries

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$212 9.6%

Canaries

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$166 7.5%

Canaries

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$64 2.9%

Canaries

–

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Canaries

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $183 in the Canaries. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇱🇨 Canaries

🕒 Local time

00:45 12:45 AM

20:45 8:45 PM

4 h behind Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

1,862

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.332 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇺 Euro (€)

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.01 XCD (1 XCD = 0.332 EUR).

USD to EUR in detail →

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Between locations

Lisbon Canaries 5,770 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Lisbon
Canaries

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Canaries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 1094% more than the Canaries, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $278 in the Canaries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in the Canaries, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $183 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in the Canaries, where all-in costs run around $185, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Canaries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $185 in the Canaries to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.