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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $2,433 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $3,468 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $4,504 in London.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 6% less than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, London 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$18.18 CA$25.47

-13.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$73.5 CA$103

-13.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$10.16 CA$14.24

2.85%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.53 CA$4.95

-17.56%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.96 CA$2.75

16.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.87 CA$2.63

-19.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$5.79 CA$8.12

-38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$6.77 CA$9.49

-41.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.63 CA$2.28

-33.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.39 CA$3.35

-26.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$3.33 CA$4.67

-48.95%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$3.40 CA$4.77

-4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$9.97 CA$13.98

32.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$12.51 CA$17.53

-38.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$9.01 CA$12.63

75.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.60 CA$6.44

-50.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.37 CA$1.92

21.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$3.53 CA$4.95

-42.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$3.82 CA$5.35

-35.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.61 CA$2.25

11.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.14 CA$2.99

-3.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$2.12 CA$2.96

-7.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.44 CA$2.02

-42.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$12.64 CA$17.72

-48.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$12.46 CA$17.46

-55.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.07 CA$2.90

-35.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.48 CA$3.47

21.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$2.43 CA$3.41

-6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$83.0 CA$116

-44.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$3.98 CA$5.58

6.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.76 CA$2.47

-51.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$31.21 CA$43.73

-39.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.10 CA$1.54

83.64%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$25.2K CA$35.3K

38.71%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$20.8K CA$29.1K

91.03%

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

$148 €128

$144 CA$202

2.76%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$47.77 CA$66.9

-57.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$57.9 CA$81.1

-31.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$42.41 CA$59.4

13.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$7.30 CA$10.24

151.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$11.06 CA$15.49

-17.72%

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

$615 €532

$548 CA$768

12.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$14.3K CA$20.1K

13.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$54.8 CA$76.7

85.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$46.53 CA$65.2

-9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$86.2 CA$121

7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$83.1 CA$116

46.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$1,464 CA$2,052

10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$1,272 CA$1,783

-1.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$2,608 CA$3,654

17.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$1,994 CA$2,794

2.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$3,503 CA$4,909

121.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$3,576 CA$5,011

19.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$2,941 CA$4,122

-45.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.21

-38.65%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for London: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $1,464 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 84% 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 $74.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $326 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 7% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $2,433 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 84% 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $1,464 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Lisbon versus $548 in London. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in London. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,280 in Lisbon versus $2,433 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 7% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.