Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marathon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marathon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,466 in Marathon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $3,508 in Marathon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $4,549 in Marathon.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 8% less than in Marathon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Marathon 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$18.75 CA$25.68

-15.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$59.8 CA$81.9

7.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$12.60 CA$17.26

-17.70%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$3.68 CA$5.05

-21.47%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$1.79 CA$2.46

24.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.48 CA$2.02

4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$5.21 CA$7.13

-35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$5.05 CA$6.92

-22.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$2.45 CA$3.36

-54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$2.53 CA$3.46

-28.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.61 CA$3.57

-32.95%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$2.94 CA$4.03

7.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$8.78 CA$12.04

53.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$16.88 CA$23.12

-53.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$16.02 CA$21.95

-2.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$3.60 CA$4.93

-36.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.09 CA$1.49

56.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$3.34 CA$4.57

-42.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$3.16 CA$4.33

-20.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$2.70 CA$3.69

-33.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$0.99 CA$1.35

107.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$2.92 CA$3.99

-33.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.08 CA$1.48

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$9.29 CA$12.73

-28.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$13.17 CA$18.05

-56.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.58 CA$2.17

-15.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$2.74 CA$3.76

6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$2.34 CA$3.21

0.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$61.6 CA$84.4

-25.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$3.26 CA$4.47

28.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.49 CA$2.05

-45.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$25.99 CA$35.61

-28.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.12 CA$1.54

86.61%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

37.70%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$20.2K CA$27.7K

96.24%

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

$146 €124

$206 CA$282

-29.08%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$44.11 CA$60.4

-52.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$80.9 CA$111

-50.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$42.06 CA$57.6

15.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$10.73 CA$14.70

-15.47%

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

$618 €526

$737 CA$1,009

-16.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$11.9K CA$16.3K

35.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$59.7 CA$81.7

75.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$37.03 CA$50.7

9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$77.6 CA$106

20.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$139 CA$191

-11.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$1,313 CA$1,799

22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$1,170 CA$1,603

7.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$2,006 CA$2,748

52.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$1,825 CA$2,500

10.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$4,406 CA$6,036

74.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$3,723 CA$5,100

17.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

$1,842 CA$2,523

-11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.19

-38.45%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Marathon: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,313 in Marathon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marathon pays 12% 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: $64 in Lisbon vs $60 in Marathon. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $359, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Marathon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Marathon differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $2,466 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Marathon earns 12% less. 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,313 in Marathon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Lisbon versus $737 in Marathon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Marathon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,466 in Marathon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Marathon. 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 Marathon 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 9% less than in Marathon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.