Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,413 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,451 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $4,490 in London.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 5% less than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, London 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$21.91 CA$30.65

-19.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$64.4 CA$90.1

-2.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$12.45 CA$17.42

-6.99%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.79 CA$5.30

-18.21%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.22 CA$3.11

12.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.20 CA$3.08

-20.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$6.34 CA$8.87

-45.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$6.55 CA$9.17

-47.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.02 CA$2.83

-43.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.60 CA$3.63

-26.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$4.05 CA$5.66

-62.96%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.78 CA$5.28

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$10.17 CA$14.23

30.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$11.83 CA$16.55

-32.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$15.37 CA$21.50

17.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.36 CA$6.09

-46.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.38 CA$1.93

26.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.93 CA$5.50

-52.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$4.10 CA$5.74

-37.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.14 CA$4.39

-41.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.17 CA$4.44

-33.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.51 CA$3.51

-40.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.48 CA$2.08

-44.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$12.05 CA$16.86

-41.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$12.34 CA$17.27

-52.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.55 CA$3.57

-48.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.87 CA$4.02

-25.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.37 CA$3.31

-0.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$81.3 CA$114

-42.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.58 CA$3.61

58.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.65 CA$2.31

-30.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$22.58 CA$31.59

-24.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.23 CA$1.72

87.80%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$28.1K CA$39.4K

21.31%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$24.1K CA$33.7K

71.95%

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

$169 €147

$139 CA$194

21.68%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$41.37 CA$57.9

-53.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$56.4 CA$78.9

-40.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$38.15 CA$53.4

28.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$28.95 CA$40.50

-32.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$10.73 CA$15.00

-10.81%

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

$696 €607

$426 CA$596

63.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$20.5K CA$28.6K

-15.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$54.0 CA$75.5

95.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$39.82 CA$55.7

19.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$83.6 CA$117

20.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$91.0 CA$127

36.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$1,271 CA$1,778

30.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$1,156 CA$1,617

7.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$2,109 CA$2,951

40.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,697 CA$2,375

20.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$3,526 CA$4,932

122.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$3,696 CA$5,170

20.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$2,971 CA$4,156

-45.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.72

-19.92%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for London: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,271 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 82% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $64.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $366 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and London differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $2,413 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 82% lower in London. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,271 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $426 in London. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in London. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,413 in London, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and London are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.