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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $1,722 in Canterbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $2,679 in Canterbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $3,636 in Canterbury, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 32% more than Canterbury, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Lisbon and Canterbury sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Canterbury by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$12.23 NZ$20.73

28.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$65.9 NZ$112

-3.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$8.97 NZ$15.20

16.50%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.25 NZ$5.51

-10.46%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$2.17 NZ$3.69

5.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.09 NZ$3.55

-28.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$4.23 NZ$7.18

-15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$6.12 NZ$10.38

-35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.19 NZ$2.02

-9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.92 NZ$3.26

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.82 NZ$3.08

-6.59%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$5.59 NZ$9.48

-41.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$6.69 NZ$11.34

98.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$10.59 NZ$17.95

-27.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$8.83 NZ$14.97

78.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.29 NZ$3.89

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.33 NZ$3.95

-28.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$3.41 NZ$5.78

-40.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$4.65 NZ$7.88

-46.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.24 NZ$2.10

44.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.01 NZ$3.40

2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.84 NZ$3.11

7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.08 NZ$1.83

-23.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$24.34 NZ$41.26

-73.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$8.98 NZ$15.22

-37.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.57 NZ$4.36

-48.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$3.75 NZ$6.36

-19.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.93 NZ$1.58

144.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$64.6 NZ$110

-28.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$2.76 NZ$4.68

53.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.09 NZ$1.85

-22.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$30.46 NZ$51.6

-38.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.70 NZ$2.88

18.82%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$20.0K NZ$34.0K

74.49%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$25.2K NZ$42.8K

57.12%

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

$148 €128

$99.7 NZ$169

48.40%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$36.05 NZ$61.1

-43.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$54.9 NZ$93.0

-27.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$36.06 NZ$61.1

33.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$12.12 NZ$20.54

51.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$9.50 NZ$16.10

-4.21%

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

$615 €532

$587 NZ$995

4.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

32.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$53.7 NZ$91.0

89.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$29.34 NZ$49.74

43.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$94.7 NZ$161

-2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$120 NZ$204

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$978 NZ$1,657

64.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$783 NZ$1,327

60.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$1,542 NZ$2,615

99.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$1,452 NZ$2,461

40.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$5,526 NZ$9,368

40.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$3,432 NZ$5,818

24.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$2,809 NZ$4,763

-42.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.07

-46.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $978 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 75% 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 $66.0 in Canterbury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $289 – 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: $2,280 in Lisbon, $1,722 in Canterbury – roughly 32% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $2,582 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $66.0 in Canterbury. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Canterbury, where all-in costs run around $1,722, than in Lisbon at $2,280. 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 $1,722 in Canterbury to $2,280 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.