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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $2,404 in Marathon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $3,402 in Marathon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $4,401 in Marathon.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Marathon 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$18.52 CA$25.86

-13.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$60.0 CA$83.7

5.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$12.44 CA$17.37

-16.56%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$3.79 CA$5.30

-26.39%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.88 CA$2.63

24.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.46 CA$2.04

7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$5.40 CA$7.54

-36.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$5.07 CA$7.08

-22.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.45 CA$3.42

-55.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.52 CA$3.52

-29.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.55 CA$3.56

-32.94%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.87 CA$4.01

9.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$8.77 CA$12.25

55.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$16.53 CA$23.08

-51.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$16.06 CA$22.42

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.43 CA$4.78

-33.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.15 CA$1.60

42.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$3.30 CA$4.60

-41.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$3.16 CA$4.42

-20.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.59 CA$3.62

-30.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.97 CA$1.36

107.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.02 CA$4.21

-34.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.13 CA$1.57

-25.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$9.06 CA$12.66

-25.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$12.59 CA$17.58

-54.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.66 CA$2.32

-16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.76 CA$3.86

9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.32 CA$3.24

-2.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$63.2 CA$88.2

-28.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$3.29 CA$4.59

30.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.44 CA$2.01

-40.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$25.59 CA$35.74

-28.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.15 CA$1.61

73.04%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$24.7K CA$34.6K

41.56%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$20.5K CA$28.7K

92.51%

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

$146 €126

$200 CA$279

-26.73%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$43.96 CA$61.4

-53.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$81.7 CA$114

-52.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$42.72 CA$59.7

14.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$10.84 CA$15.13

-12.18%

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

$608 €524

$734 CA$1,025

-17.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$11.7K CA$16.4K

40.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$59.0 CA$82.4

76.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$36.75 CA$51.3

14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$77.2 CA$108

19.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$141 CA$197

-14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$1,289 CA$1,800

25.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$1,163 CA$1,625

8.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,991 CA$2,781

53.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$1,818 CA$2,539

10.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$4,374 CA$6,108

75.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$3,900 CA$5,447

10.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,824 CA$2,547

-13.11%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Marathon: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $1,289 in Marathon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marathon pays 15% 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 $60.0 in Marathon. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $356, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $2,404 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Marathon earns 15% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $1,289 in Marathon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $734 in Marathon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $2,263 in Lisbon versus $2,404 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 6% less than in Marathon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.