Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Nanaimo, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Nanaimo, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,391 in Nanaimo, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $3,507 in Nanaimo, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $4,622 in Nanaimo, BC.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 7% less than in Nanaimo, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Nanaimo, BC 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$18.70 CA$25.62

-13.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$63.3 CA$86.7

2.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$13.43 CA$18.39

-22.71%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$4.14 CA$5.67

-33.09%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.63 CA$3.60

-14.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.98 CA$2.71

-20.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$5.96 CA$8.17

-41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$5.91 CA$8.09

-32.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.81 CA$2.47

-40.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.27 CA$4.48

-46.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$4.13 CA$5.65

-57.87%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.96 CA$5.43

-19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$11.78 CA$16.14

14.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$15.57 CA$21.33

-48.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$18.44 CA$25.26

-12.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.35 CA$5.96

-47.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.54 CA$2.11

11.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$3.38 CA$4.63

-42.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$4.69 CA$6.43

-45.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.10 CA$4.25

-40.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.83 CA$3.88

-27.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$3.06 CA$4.19

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.34 CA$3.20

-63.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$13.20 CA$18.08

-48.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$13.03 CA$17.85

-55.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.34 CA$3.21

-41.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$3.38 CA$4.64

-14.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.91 CA$2.62

19.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$48.16 CA$66.0

-2.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.87 CA$3.93

42.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.38 CA$1.89

-40.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$34.13 CA$46.76

-46.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.36 CA$1.86

47.79%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$25.0K CA$34.2K

41.24%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

91.97%

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

$145 €124

$117 CA$161

24.00%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$46.31 CA$63.5

-54.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$66.1 CA$90.6

-39.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$30.75 CA$42.13

58.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$11.17 CA$15.30

67.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$11.26 CA$15.43

-19.54%

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

$607 €519

$771 CA$1,056

-21.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.2K CA$16.7K

33.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$46.21 CA$63.3

126.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$34.25 CA$46.92

19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$80.8 CA$111

15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$101 CA$138

17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$1,324 CA$1,813

21.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$1,163 CA$1,594

6.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$2,079 CA$2,849

46.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,940 CA$2,657

6.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$3,950 CA$5,411

95.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$3,573 CA$4,894

19.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$3,197 CA$4,380

-50.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.47

-41.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Nanaimo, BC: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,324 in Nanaimo, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanaimo, BC pays 102% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $63.0 in Nanaimo, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $419, 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 Nanaimo, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Nanaimo, BC differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $2,391 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Nanaimo, BC earns 102% 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 $1,324 in Nanaimo, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $771 in Nanaimo, BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Nanaimo, BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,391 in Nanaimo, BC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Nanaimo, BC. 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 Nanaimo, BC 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 Nanaimo, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.