Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ottawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ottawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,463 in Ottawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,588 in Ottawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,713 in Ottawa.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Ottawa 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$18.61 CA$26.19

-13.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$74.2 CA$104

-14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$11.48 CA$16.15

-10.10%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.01 CA$5.64

-29.43%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.16 CA$3.04

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.65 CA$2.32

-4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$5.91 CA$8.32

-42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$6.58 CA$9.26

-38.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$2.40 CA$3.37

-54.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.77 CA$3.90

-36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.30 CA$4.65

-46.67%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.67 CA$5.17

-13.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$11.37 CA$16.00

16.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$13.14 CA$18.50

-39.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$15.66 CA$22.03

-0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$4.39 CA$6.17

-46.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.36 CA$1.91

25.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.50 CA$4.92

-42.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.68 CA$5.18

-33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.58 CA$3.63

-31.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.17 CA$4.46

-35.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.27 CA$3.19

-15.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.50 CA$2.11

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$13.92 CA$19.58

-52.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$10.70 CA$15.06

-47.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.39 CA$3.37

-44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.09 CA$4.34

-3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.98 CA$4.20

-23.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$99.1 CA$139

-53.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.81 CA$3.96

50.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.46 CA$2.05

-44.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$19.69 CA$27.71

-6.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.16 CA$1.63

79.31%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

38.48%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$22.3K CA$31.4K

75.35%

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

$148 €130

$158 CA$222

-6.32%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$43.32 CA$61.0

-52.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$52.3 CA$73.6

-24.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$47.95 CA$67.5

0.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$16.06 CA$22.60

15.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$11.21 CA$15.78

-17.75%

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

$616 €540

$891 CA$1,253

-30.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$15.9K CA$22.4K

3.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$55.0 CA$77.4

86.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$41.03 CA$57.7

1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$90.6 CA$127

4.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$95.3 CA$134

28.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,481 CA$2,084

10.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$1,259 CA$1,771

-2.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$2,326 CA$3,272

33.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,936 CA$2,725

4.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$4,441 CA$6,249

76.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$4,678 CA$6,583

-6.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$3,546 CA$4,990

-54.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.48

-30.47%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ottawa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,481 in Ottawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ottawa pays 121% 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 $74.0 in Ottawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $370 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 Ottawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Ottawa differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,463 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 121% lower in Ottawa. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,481 in Ottawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $891 in Ottawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Ottawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,463 in Ottawa, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Ottawa. 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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.