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: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $2,378 in Nanaimo, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $3,486 in Nanaimo, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $4,595 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 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$18.21 CA$25.49

-13.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$61.7 CA$86.4

1.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$13.31 CA$18.63

-20.81%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$4.10 CA$5.74

-32.44%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$2.53 CA$3.54

-9.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.93 CA$2.71

-19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$5.76 CA$8.06

-38.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$6.03 CA$8.44

-34.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.79 CA$2.51

-39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.26 CA$4.56

-45.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$4.14 CA$5.80

-57.25%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$3.97 CA$5.56

-21.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$11.85 CA$16.59

12.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$15.77 CA$22.07

-49.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$18.28 CA$25.59

-12.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.35 CA$6.09

-47.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.60 CA$2.25

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$3.55 CA$4.96

-44.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.59 CA$6.42

-46.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.06 CA$4.28

-42.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.75 CA$3.85

-28.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.96 CA$4.15

-33.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.29 CA$3.20

-65.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$13.15 CA$18.40

-50.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$12.46 CA$17.44

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$2.42 CA$3.39

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$3.32 CA$4.65

-9.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.96 CA$2.75

19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$47.91 CA$67.1

-4.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$2.99 CA$4.19

42.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.34 CA$1.88

-37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$34.10 CA$47.73

-44.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.35 CA$1.88

53.33%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$24.7K CA$34.5K

42.87%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

89.07%

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

$151 €130

$118 CA$165

28.00%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$46.04 CA$64.4

-54.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$66.1 CA$92.5

-40.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$30.43 CA$42.59

59.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$11.17 CA$15.64

66.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$10.91 CA$15.26

-17.14%

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

$610 €525

$783 CA$1,096

-22.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.1K CA$16.9K

34.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$45.44 CA$63.6

122.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$34.67 CA$48.52

17.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$79.6 CA$111

16.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$101 CA$141

17.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,322 CA$1,851

21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$1,168 CA$1,635

6.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$2,056 CA$2,878

46.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$1,922 CA$2,689

7.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$3,883 CA$5,435

105.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$3,501 CA$4,900

29.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$3,083 CA$4,315

-47.19%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Nanaimo, BC: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $1,322 in Nanaimo, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanaimo, BC pays 89% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $62.0 in Nanaimo, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $418 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 Nanaimo, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Nanaimo, BC differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $2,378 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Nanaimo, BC earns 89% 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $1,322 in Nanaimo, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $610 in Lisbon versus $783 in Nanaimo, BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Nanaimo, BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,217 in Lisbon versus $2,378 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.