Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Thunder Bay

For one person, living costs are similar in Lisbon and in Thunder Bay: $2,202 and $2,169 a month, rent and utilities included.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Thunder Bay
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,169
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Thunder Bay

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 Thunder Bay actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,169 in Thunder Bay.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Thunder Bay $2,169

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $3,338 in Thunder Bay.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Thunder Bay $3,338

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $4,508 in Thunder Bay.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Thunder Bay $4,508

Living in Lisbon is roughly 2% more expensive than in Thunder Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Thunder Bay 60% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$17.63 CA$24.93
-3.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$60.2 CA$85.1
3.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$12.62 CA$17.84
-12.68%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$3.40 CA$4.81
-8.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.86 CA$2.63
22.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.59 CA$2.25
9.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$5.43 CA$7.68
-37.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$5.03 CA$7.12
-25.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.27 CA$3.20
-48.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.55 CA$3.60
-27.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$3.29 CA$4.65
-53.19%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$3.59 CA$5.08
13.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$16.69 CA$23.59
-22.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$15.91 CA$22.50
-50.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$16.25 CA$22.98
8.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$3.33 CA$4.71
-32.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.21 CA$1.71
44.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$3.92 CA$5.54
-51.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$3.48 CA$4.92
-26.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.50 CA$3.53
-26.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.16 CA$3.05
-8.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$2.91 CA$4.12
-50.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$2.38 CA$3.36
-67.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$10.69 CA$15.11
-37.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$8.67 CA$12.26
-34.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.96 CA$2.77
-30.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$2.92 CA$4.14
-27.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$2.28 CA$3.22
1.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$64.3 CA$90.9
-30.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$5.26 CA$7.44
-24.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$2.08 CA$2.94
-49.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$35.48 CA$50.2
-51.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.16 CA$1.63
88.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$28.0K CA$39.6K
20.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$21.0K CA$29.7K
82.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$159 CA$225
2.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$57.9 CA$81.8
-68.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$79.3 CA$112
-58.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$29.52 CA$41.73
55.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$18.06 CA$25.54
3.43%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$17.88 CA$25.27
-45.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$670 CA$947
2.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$76.7 CA$108
35.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$35.15 CA$49.69
31.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$76.6 CA$108
30.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$130 CA$184
-4.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$1,053 CA$1,488
50.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$908 CA$1,283
28.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$1,898 CA$2,683
50.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$1,741 CA$2,461
14.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Thunder Bay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$3,027 CA$4,279
-47.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.58
-15.94%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Thunder Bay
$908 22.4% $261
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Thunder Bay
$396 45% $123
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Thunder Bay
$271 9.4% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Thunder Bay
$296 37.7% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Thunder Bay
$143 14.9% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Thunder Bay
$65 0.2% $0.1
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Thunder Bay
$89 41.6% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $1,053 in Thunder Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thunder Bay pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $396, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇦 Thunder Bay
🕒 Local time
16:00 4:00 PM
11:00 11:00 AM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
107,909
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Thunder Bay 6,250 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Thunder Bay

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 Thunder Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Thunder Bay?
Lisbon and Thunder Bay differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $2,169 including rent). Thunder Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 89% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Thunder Bay?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $1,053 in Thunder Bay. 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 Thunder Bay?
Childcare runs $684 in Lisbon versus $670 in Thunder Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 45% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $2,169 in Thunder Bay versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Thunder Bay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Thunder Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Thunder Bay?
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.
Is Lisbon or Thunder Bay safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Thunder Bay?
Expats usually find Thunder Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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