Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Guelph

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $2,574 in Guelph, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Guelph
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,574
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Guelph

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 Guelph actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,574 in Guelph.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Guelph $2,574

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $3,642 in Guelph.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Guelph $3,642

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $4,711 in Guelph.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Guelph $4,711

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 14% less than in Guelph, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Guelph 91% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$20.94 CA$29.61
-21.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$70.8 CA$100
-13.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$11.35 CA$16.04
-0.70%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$3.27 CA$4.62
-6.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.43 CA$2.02
58.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.32 CA$1.87
31.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$4.78 CA$6.75
-29.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$5.69 CA$8.04
-40.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.19 CA$3.10
-48.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.74 CA$3.87
-32.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$3.55 CA$5.02
-56.90%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$3.02 CA$4.26
31.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$10.03 CA$14.18
27.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$15.98 CA$22.59
-50.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$21.72 CA$30.71
-21.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.48 CA$4.93
-34.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.29 CA$1.82
35.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$4.28 CA$6.05
-56.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$4.63 CA$6.54
-44.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$3.41 CA$4.82
-45.45%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$2.23 CA$3.15
-9.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.84 CA$4.02
-49.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$1.48 CA$2.09
-44.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$10.77 CA$15.23
-39.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$10.74 CA$15.18
-47.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$3.46 CA$4.89
-63.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$3.11 CA$4.39
-33.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.14 CA$3.02
9.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$64.8 CA$91.7
-31.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$2.33 CA$3.29
71.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.87 CA$2.64
-41.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$24.09 CA$34.06
-30.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.17 CA$1.66
94.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$27.7K CA$39.2K
21.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$20.4K CA$28.8K
92.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$123 CA$174
35.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$42.11 CA$59.5
-55.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$54.7 CA$77.3
-39.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$55.1 CA$77.9
-16.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$14.24 CA$20.14
34.76%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$10.69 CA$15.11
-7.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$796 CA$1,126
-14.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$16.6K CA$23.4K
2.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$62.5 CA$88.3
62.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$36.00 CA$50.9
27.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$86.2 CA$122
15.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$124 CA$176
-1.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$1,442 CA$2,038
11.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$1,361 CA$1,925
-12.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$2,044 CA$2,890
39.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,921 CA$2,716
3.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$4,782 CA$6,760
58.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$4,727 CA$6,682
-8.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Guelph
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$3,174 CA$4,487
-49.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.99
-22.85%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Guelph: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Guelph
$1.4K 13.7% $164
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Guelph
$405 50.3% $136
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Guelph
$287 18.5% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Guelph
$220 0.4% $0.8
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Guelph
$139 16.4% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Guelph
$77 16.5% $11
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Guelph
$85 35% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $1,442 in Guelph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 100% 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: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $71.0 in Guelph for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $405 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇦 Guelph
🕒 Local time
22:28 10:28 PM
17:28 5:28 PM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
131,794
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Guelph 5,800 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Lisbon vs Guelph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guelph cheaper than Lisbon?
Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Guelph?
On paper, salaries run 100% lower in Guelph. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Guelph?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,442 in Guelph. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Guelph?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Guelph. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Guelph?
Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $71.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Guelph?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,574 in Guelph, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Guelph. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lisbon or Guelph more family-friendly?
For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Guelph, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Guelph?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Guelph are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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