Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,404 in Marathon versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,402 in Marathon versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,401 in Marathon versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Marathon is roughly 6% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Marathon 79% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$25.86

$15.94 €13.73

16.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 CA$83.7

$63.4 €54.6

-5.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 CA$17.37

$10.38 €8.95

19.85%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.30

$2.79 €2.40

35.84%

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

$1.88 CA$2.63

$2.34 €2.01

-19.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$1.57 €1.35

-7.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 CA$7.54

$3.43 €2.95

57.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CA$7.08

$3.91 €3.37

29.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$1.08 €0.93

126.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$1.77 €1.52

42.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.56

$1.71 €1.47

49.12%

Eggs

$2.87 CA$4.01

$3.15 €2.71

-8.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 CA$12.25

$13.68 €11.79

-35.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 CA$23.08

$8.01 €6.90

106.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 CA$22.42

$15.52 €13.37

3.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.78

$2.29 €1.98

49.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.64 €1.41

-29.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.60

$1.94 €1.67

70.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.42

$2.51 €2.17

25.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$1.79 €1.54

44.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 CA$1.36

$2.01 €1.73

-51.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 CA$4.21

$1.97 €1.69

53.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$0.84 €0.73

34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.06 CA$12.66

$6.79 €5.85

33.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 CA$17.58

$5.67 €4.89

122.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.32

$1.39 €1.20

19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.86

$3.02 €2.60

-8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.24

$2.27 €1.95

2.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$88.2

$45.44 €39.15

38.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 CA$4.59

$4.29 €3.70

-23.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$0.85 €0.73

69.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.59 CA$35.74

$18.28 €15.75

39.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.61

$1.99 €1.71

-42.21%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$35.0K €30.2K

-29.36%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$39.5K €34.1K

-48.06%

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

$200 CA$279

$146 €126

36.49%

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

$43.96 CA$61.4

$20.45 €17.62

114.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.7 CA$114

$38.98 €33.58

109.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.72 CA$59.7

$48.98 €42.21

-12.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 CA$15.13

$9.52 €8.21

13.87%

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

$734 CA$1,025

$608 €524

20.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$16.5K €14.2K

-28.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.4

$104 €89.5

-43.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.75 CA$51.3

$42.12 €36.29

-12.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 CA$108

$92.2 €79.5

-16.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 CA$197

$120 €103

17.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,800

$1,621 €1,397

-20.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CA$1,625

$1,268 €1,092

-8.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 CA$2,781

$3,048 €2,626

-34.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 CA$2,539

$2,009 €1,731

-9.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,374 CA$6,108

$7,663 €6,602

-42.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 CA$5,447

$4,329 €3,730

-9.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,824 CA$2,547

$1,585 €1,366

15.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

3.81

62.47%

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

Last update for Marathon: June 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,289 in Marathon and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marathon pays 15% 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: $60.0 in Marathon vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $269, 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

Marathon vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marathon and Lisbon differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,404 vs $2,263 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Marathon pays 15% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,289 in Marathon versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $734 in Marathon versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Marathon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,263 in Lisbon versus $2,404 in Marathon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Marathon. 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, Marathon and Lisbon 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 6% less than in Marathon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.