Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hamilton

For one person, living costs are similar in Lisbon and in Hamilton: $2,223 and $2,253 a month, rent and utilities included.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Hamilton
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,253
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Hamilton

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,253 in Hamilton.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Hamilton $2,253

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $3,331 in Hamilton.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Hamilton $3,331

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $4,408 in Hamilton.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Hamilton $4,408

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 1% less than in Hamilton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Hamilton 67% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$17.21 CA$24.33
-4.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$65.7 CA$92.8
-6.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.02
$11.87 CA$16.77
-5.05%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$3.37 CA$4.77
-9.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.22 CA$3.14
1.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.69 CA$2.39
2.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$4.99 CA$7.05
-32.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$6.03 CA$8.52
-43.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.89 CA$2.67
-40.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.12 CA$2.99
-12.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$3.13 CA$4.43
-51.12%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$3.33 CA$4.70
18.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$7.88 CA$11.13
61.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$11.30 CA$15.98
-30.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$14.24 CA$20.13
19.17%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.81 CA$5.38
-40.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.27 CA$1.79
37.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$3.98 CA$5.63
-53.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$3.82 CA$5.40
-32.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.71 CA$3.83
-31.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.91 CA$2.69
5.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.95 CA$2.75
-26.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$1.33 CA$1.88
-38.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$12.49 CA$17.65
-47.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$13.95 CA$19.72
-59.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$2.65 CA$3.74
-51.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$3.77 CA$5.33
-45.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.56 CA$3.62
-8.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.29
$84.1 CA$119
-47.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$3.36 CA$4.76
18.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.28 CA$1.82
-14.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.80
$23.24 CA$32.85
-28.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.21 CA$1.71
88.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$27.6K CA$39.1K
21.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €34.9K
$19.6K CA$27.7K
100.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$152 CA$214
10.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$41.21 CA$58.3
-54.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$50.2 CA$70.9
-34.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.92
$36.85 CA$52.1
24.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$17.62 CA$24.91
8.91%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$10.23 CA$14.46
-3.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$600 CA$848
12.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.0K
$16.6K CA$23.4K
2.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.0
$47.93 CA$67.8
111.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$30.45 CA$43.05
50.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$83.8 CA$118
19.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$114 CA$161
7.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,435
$1,251 CA$1,769
28.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$1,123 CA$1,588
6.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$2,042 CA$2,887
40.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,873 CA$2,647
6.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,739
$2,695 CA$3,810
181.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$2,668 CA$3,771
61.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Hamilton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$2,860 CA$4,044
-44.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.6
-16.30%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Hamilton
$1.1K 6.1% $74
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Hamilton
$335 24.3% $65
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Hamilton
$266 10% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Hamilton
$243 10.8% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Hamilton
$124 25.4% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Hamilton
$57 12.8% $8.4
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Hamilton
$104 65.3% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $1,251 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 80% 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 $66.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $335 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇦 Hamilton
🕒 Local time
14:41 2:41 PM
09:41 9:41 AM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
519,949
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 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 Hamilton 5,780 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Hamilton

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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hamilton cheaper than Lisbon?
Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Hamilton?
On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Hamilton. 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 Hamilton?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,251 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $600 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Hamilton?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Hamilton?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,253 in Hamilton, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lisbon or Hamilton more family-friendly?
For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Hamilton?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Hamilton 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 1% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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