Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Thunder Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Thunder Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,377 in Thunder Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,506 in Thunder Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,634 in Thunder Bay.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 4% less than in Thunder Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$18.58 CA$26.15

-12.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$59.9 CA$84.3

5.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$12.47 CA$17.55

-17.24%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.73 CA$5.25

-24.13%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.79 CA$2.53

27.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.52 CA$2.14

3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$5.33 CA$7.50

-36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.26 CA$7.41

-23.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$2.55 CA$3.58

-57.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.54 CA$3.58

-31.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.50 CA$4.92

-49.71%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.57 CA$5.02

-11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$17.42 CA$24.51

-24.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$16.40 CA$23.08

-51.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$18.17 CA$25.57

-14.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.48 CA$4.89

-31.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.29 CA$1.81

32.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.95 CA$5.55

-49.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.75 CA$5.28

-35.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.61 CA$3.67

-32.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.22 CA$3.12

-8.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$3.10 CA$4.37

-38.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$2.21 CA$3.11

-61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$11.15 CA$15.69

-40.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$8.91 CA$12.54

-37.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.12 CA$2.99

-37.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.85 CA$4.01

4.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.46 CA$3.46

-7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$63.7 CA$89.7

-28.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.24 CA$4.57

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.98 CA$2.78

-59.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$25.49 CA$35.87

-27.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.17 CA$1.65

77.78%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

36.05%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$20.5K CA$28.8K

91.21%

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

$148 €130

$201 CA$283

-26.32%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$59.8 CA$84.1

-65.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$99.9 CA$141

-60.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$30.65 CA$43.13

56.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$18.19 CA$25.59

2.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$13.50 CA$19.00

-31.70%

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

$616 €540

$738 CA$1,038

-16.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$11.7K CA$16.5K

40.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$60.3 CA$84.8

70.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$36.01 CA$50.7

15.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$74.9 CA$105

26.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$139 CA$196

-12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,045 CA$1,470

56.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$1,034 CA$1,455

19.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,863 CA$2,622

66.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,820 CA$2,561

11.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$2,854 CA$4,015

-43.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.19

-38.45%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,045 in Thunder Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thunder Bay pays 78% 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 $60.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $413, 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 Thunder Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Thunder Bay differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,377 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Thunder Bay. 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 $1,045 in Thunder Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $738 in Thunder Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Thunder Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,377 in Thunder Bay, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Thunder Bay. 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 Thunder Bay 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 Thunder Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.