Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Nelson BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Nelson BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $2,378 in Nelson BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $3,299 in Nelson BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $4,220 in Nelson BC.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 67% above, Nelson BC 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.36

$14.77 CA$20.23

6.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.6

$67.0 CA$91.9

-5.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.76

$8.99 CA$12.32

14.79%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.39

$3.99 CA$5.46

-29.57%

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

$2.33 €1.98

$2.22 CA$3.05

4.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.28

$1.72 CA$2.35

-12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.86

$5.10 CA$6.98

-33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.32

$6.00 CA$8.21

-34.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.95 CA$2.67

-44.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$3.13 CA$4.29

-44.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$3.15 CA$4.31

-44.44%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.63

$3.79 CA$5.19

-18.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.27

$11.05 CA$15.13

20.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.66

$14.88 CA$20.39

-47.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.63

$19.89 CA$27.25

-19.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.03

$3.81 CA$5.22

-37.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.46

$0.63 CA$0.86

173.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.67

$1.64 CA$2.24

20.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.16

$4.02 CA$5.51

-36.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$2.58 CA$3.53

-30.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.93 CA$4.01

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$2.70 CA$3.69

-27.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$1.84 CA$2.52

-54.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.79

$14.94 CA$20.46

-54.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.97

$13.28 CA$18.19

-55.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.17

$2.40 CA$3.29

-42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.48

$3.06 CA$4.19

-4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.94

$1.45 CA$1.98

57.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.80

$61.9 CA$84.9

-24.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.50

$2.92 CA$4.00

41.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.72 CA$2.35

-52.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.08

$34.94 CA$47.87

-45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.77

$1.26 CA$1.72

65.87%

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

$35.1K €29.8K

$25.2K CA$34.6K

39.23%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

98.37%

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

$150 €127

$143 CA$195

4.85%

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

$20.49 €17.40

$51.3 CA$70.3

-60.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.24

$58.1 CA$79.6

-32.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.15

$41.93 CA$57.4

18.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.69

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.81

$11.71 CA$16.04

-21.43%

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

$624 €530

$1,078 CA$1,477

-42.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.5K

$17.0K CA$23.2K

-6.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €86.7

$52.9 CA$72.4

93.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.71

$39.71 CA$54.4

2.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.2

$84.6 CA$116

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$129 CA$177

-6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,403

$1,417 CA$1,941

16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,047

$1,161 CA$1,591

6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,584

$2,210 CA$3,028

37.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,748

$1,529 CA$2,095

34.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,689

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,654

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,330

$3,272 CA$4,483

-52.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.53

-41.65%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Nelson BC: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $1,417 in Nelson BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson BC pays 109% 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 in Lisbon vs $67 in Nelson BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $386 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 Nelson BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Nelson BC differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $2,378 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Nelson BC earns 109% 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $1,417 in Nelson BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $624 in Lisbon versus $1,078 in Nelson BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Nelson BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,243 in Lisbon versus $2,378 in Nelson BC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Nelson 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 Nelson 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 6% less than in Nelson BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.