Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Canterbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Canterbury

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $932 in Canterbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $1,543 in Canterbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $2,155 in Canterbury, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 146% more than Canterbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Canterbury is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$14.42 NZ$25.22

21.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$63.0 NZ$110

-0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.72 NZ$20.48

-1.19%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.23 NZ$5.65

-4.02%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.18 NZ$3.81

14.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$4.15 NZ$7.25

-16.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$6.41 NZ$11.21

-46.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.24 NZ$3.91

-48.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.98 NZ$3.45

-3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.74 NZ$3.04

-13.79%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$5.60 NZ$9.80

-28.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$8.52 NZ$14.89

55.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$8.94 NZ$15.63

-10.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$16.81 NZ$29.39

7.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.06 NZ$5.36

-23.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.29 NZ$4.00

-23.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.37 NZ$5.90

-45.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.13 NZ$8.96

-50.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.94 NZ$3.39

-5.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.82 NZ$3.18

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.34 NZ$4.10

-36.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.61 NZ$1.06

34.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$21.38 NZ$37.38

-66.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$9.32 NZ$16.29

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$3.34 NZ$5.83

-60.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.26 NZ$2.21

69.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$5.71 NZ$9.99

-28.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$28.46 NZ$49.76

-39.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.63 NZ$2.85

41.72%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$25.5K NZ$44.5K

34.00%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$26.4K NZ$46.2K

56.52%

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

$169 €147

$114 NZ$200

47.46%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$28.91 NZ$50.5

-33.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$52.6 NZ$92.0

-36.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$10.63 NZ$18.58

-9.97%

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

$696 €607

$611 NZ$1,068

13.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$59.9 NZ$105

75.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$22.74 NZ$39.75

109.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$93.0 NZ$162

8.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$141 NZ$246

-11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$909 NZ$1,588

82.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$2,772 NZ$4,846

-41.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-5.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $909 in Canterbury. 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 70% higher in Canterbury, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $63.0 in Canterbury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $324 – 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 Canterbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon, $932 in Canterbury – roughly 146% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $1,398 in Canterbury. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $63.0 in Canterbury. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Canterbury, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Canterbury 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 $932 in Canterbury to $2,296 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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