Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Scarborough, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,561 in Scarborough, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Scarborough, Canada
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Scarborough
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Scarborough

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Scarborough actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,561 in Scarborough.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Scarborough $2,561

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,474 in Scarborough.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Scarborough $3,474

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,388 in Scarborough.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Scarborough $4,388

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 14% less than in Scarborough, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Scarborough 88% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.85
$17.32 CA$24.21
-3.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.1
$70.3 CA$98.3
-12.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.13
$10.89 CA$15.22
4.32%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.65
$3.99 CA$5.57
-25.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.04
$2.03 CA$2.84
12.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.47 CA$2.05
18.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.04
$6.55 CA$9.15
-48.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.95
$7.29 CA$10.18
-54.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.03
$2.51 CA$3.51
-53.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.63 CA$3.68
-27.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$2.28 CA$3.19
-33.77%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.59
$3.64 CA$5.09
10.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.54
$9.14 CA$12.78
41.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.94
$11.44 CA$15.99
-32.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.85
$12.96 CA$18.12
37.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.43 CA$4.79
-32.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.21 CA$1.69
42.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.34 CA$4.67
-44.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.31
$4.17 CA$5.82
-37.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.69 CA$2.37
7.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.68 CA$2.35
17.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$2.20 CA$3.08
-33.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.26 CA$1.76
-42.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.87
$14.00 CA$19.56
-53.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.00
$12.58 CA$17.59
-55.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.19 CA$3.06
-37.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.55 CA$3.57
-16.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.08
$2.40 CA$3.35
-2.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €39.86
$105 CA$147
-57.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.43
$3.06 CA$4.28
25.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.95
$1.28 CA$1.79
-16.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.69
$22.52 CA$31.47
-26.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.25 CA$1.75
76.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.5K
$26.1K CA$36.5K
30.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.5K
$21.7K CA$30.4K
78.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$137 CA$192
17.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.43
$35.21 CA$49.21
-47.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.21
$48.56 CA$67.9
-32.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.74
$35.87 CA$50.1
24.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.04
$35.96 CA$50.3
-46.89%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.56
$12.95 CA$18.11
-25.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €596
$749 CA$1,047
-10.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$10.8K CA$15.1K
62.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.0
$53.4 CA$74.7
91.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.67
$40.94 CA$57.2
8.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €87.9
$85.1 CA$119
15.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €110
$105 CA$147
17.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,435
$1,744 CA$2,438
-7.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,062
$1,415 CA$1,978
-15.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,509
$2,122 CA$2,966
32.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,796
$1,758 CA$2,457
14.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €6,994
$7,770 CA$10.9K
0.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,082
$6,085 CA$8,504
-24.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Scarborough
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,405
$2,980 CA$4,164
-47.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.55
-15.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Scarborough
$1.4K 18.9% $225
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Scarborough
$331 21.5% $58
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Scarborough
$280 15.6% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Scarborough
$221 4.1% $8.8
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Scarborough
$128 22.9% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Scarborough
$62 3.1% $2
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Scarborough
$124 96.1% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,744 in Scarborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scarborough pays 89% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $70 in Scarborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $331 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇦 Scarborough
🕒 Local time
14:28 2:28 PM
09:28 9:28 AM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
29,960
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Scarborough 5,710 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Scarborough

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Scarborough?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,561 in Scarborough, so Lisbon is about 14% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Scarborough?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,744 in Scarborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Scarborough?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $749 in Scarborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Scarborough. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Scarborough?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Lisbon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Scarborough?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Scarborough?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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