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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $2,363 in Nelson BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $3,272 in Nelson BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $4,182 in Nelson BC.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 3% less than in Nelson BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Nelson BC 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$14.62 CA$20.53

7.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$66.4 CA$93.2

-4.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$8.93 CA$12.53

17.02%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$4.11 CA$5.76

-29.20%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.16 CA$3.03

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.73 CA$2.43

-13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$5.29 CA$7.43

-32.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$5.80 CA$8.14

-31.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.96 CA$2.75

-44.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.23 CA$4.54

-45.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$3.12 CA$4.37

-45.51%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$3.71 CA$5.20

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$11.37 CA$15.96

16.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$15.21 CA$21.35

-49.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$19.77 CA$27.76

-20.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.75 CA$5.26

-39.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$0.64 CA$0.90

159.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.64 CA$2.30

23.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$3.99 CA$5.60

-38.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$2.51 CA$3.53

-28.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$2.99 CA$4.20

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.71 CA$3.80

-27.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$1.82 CA$2.56

-54.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$15.01 CA$21.06

-56.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$13.24 CA$18.58

-57.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$2.42 CA$3.40

-45.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$3.10 CA$4.36

-2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.44 CA$2.02

57.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

$62.9 CA$88.3

-26.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$2.90 CA$4.07

45.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.68 CA$2.36

-49.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$35.52 CA$49.85

-46.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.22 CA$1.71

65.57%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$25.0K CA$35.1K

39.77%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$19.7K CA$27.7K

101.24%

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

$148 €129

$142 CA$200

4.02%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$51.6 CA$72.4

-60.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$59.6 CA$83.7

-33.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$41.78 CA$58.6

15.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$11.61 CA$16.30

-21.62%

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

$615 €536

$1,056 CA$1,482

-41.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$16.9K CA$23.7K

-3.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$52.7 CA$74.0

92.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$40.14 CA$56.3

4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$86.2 CA$121

7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$129 CA$181

-5.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$1,373 CA$1,928

17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$1,169 CA$1,641

7.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$2,249 CA$3,157

36.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$1,526 CA$2,142

33.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$3,185 CA$4,471

-49.71%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nelson BC: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $1,373 in Nelson BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson BC pays 99% 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 $66.0 in Nelson BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $389 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 4% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $2,363 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Nelson BC. 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $1,373 in Nelson BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Lisbon versus $1,056 in Nelson BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Nelson BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,280 in Lisbon versus $2,363 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 4% less than in Nelson BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.