Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sydney, NS Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sydney, NS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $1,880 in Sydney, NS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $2,831 in Sydney, NS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $3,782 in Sydney, NS.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 20% more expensive than Sydney, NS, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Sydney, NS 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$11.69 CA$16.02

35.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$61.2 CA$83.8

5.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$7.06 CA$9.67

46.88%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$3.00 CA$4.12

-3.67%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$2.20 CA$3.01

1.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.98 CA$2.71

-21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$5.57 CA$7.64

-39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$5.74 CA$7.87

-32.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$2.25 CA$3.09

-50.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$2.59 CA$3.55

-30.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.54 CA$3.48

-31.10%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$3.54 CA$4.85

-10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$6.57 CA$9.01

105.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$8.72 CA$11.95

-10.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$13.88 CA$19.02

12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$7.33 CA$10.05

-68.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.25 CA$1.71

36.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$3.63 CA$4.98

-46.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$1.43 CA$1.96

76.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$0.85 CA$1.16

110.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$2.52 CA$3.45

-18.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$2.43 CA$3.32

-20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.74 CA$2.38

-53.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$18.69 CA$25.61

-64.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$11.68 CA$16.00

-50.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.85 CA$3.91

-53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$4.29 CA$5.88

-32.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$1.13 CA$1.55

107.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$49.24 CA$67.5

-7.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$4.53 CA$6.21

-7.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.42 CA$1.95

-42.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$25.31 CA$34.67

-26.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.16 CA$1.58

80.17%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$24.9K CA$34.2K

38.81%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$20.1K CA$27.5K

97.37%

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

$146 €124

$90.9 CA$124

60.52%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$48.11 CA$65.9

-56.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$76.9 CA$105

-48.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$50.3 CA$68.9

-3.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

$3.63 CA$4.98

419.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$7.97 CA$10.91

13.80%

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

$618 €526

$741 CA$1,015

-16.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$11.8K CA$16.2K

36.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$71.7 CA$98.2

45.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$68.1 CA$93.3

-40.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$104 CA$142

-9.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$109 CA$149

12.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$1,089 CA$1,491

47.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$811 CA$1,111

55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$1,962 CA$2,687

56.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$1,443 CA$1,977

39.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$5,060 CA$6,933

52.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$3,746 CA$5,132

16.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

$2,560 CA$3,507

-36.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.85

-44.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sydney, NS: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,089 in Sydney, NS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney, NS pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $61 in Sydney, NS. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $328, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sydney, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sydney, NS differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $1,880 including rent). Sydney, NS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sydney, NS earns 56% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,089 in Sydney, NS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Lisbon versus $741 in Sydney, NS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,880 in Sydney, NS versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sydney, NS but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sydney, NS 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 Sydney, NS 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 Sydney, NS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.