Cost of Living Comparison Between Nelson BC and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Nelson BC and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,363 in Nelson BC versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,272 in Nelson BC versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,182 in Nelson BC versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Nelson BC is roughly 4% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.62 CA$20.53

$15.75 €13.74

-7.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 CA$93.2

$63.5 €55.3

4.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 CA$12.53

$10.45 €9.11

-14.55%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.76

$2.91 €2.54

41.24%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$2.29 €2.00

-5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$1.50 €1.31

15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 CA$7.43

$3.56 €3.11

48.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.14

$3.96 €3.46

46.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$1.08 €0.94

81.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$1.76 €1.54

83.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$1.70 €1.48

83.53%

Eggs

$3.71 CA$5.20

$3.25 €2.83

14.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$15.96

$13.25 €11.55

-14.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 CA$21.35

$7.70 €6.72

97.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.77 CA$27.76

$15.77 €13.75

25.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.26

$2.28 €1.99

64.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 CA$0.90

$1.66 €1.44

-61.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$2.02 €1.76

-18.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$2.47 €2.16

61.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$1.79 €1.56

40.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.07 €1.80

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.97 €1.72

37.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.56

$0.83 €0.73

119.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$21.06

$6.55 €5.71

129.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 CA$18.58

$5.57 €4.85

137.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.33 €1.16

81.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$3.01 €2.62

2.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$2.27 €1.98

-36.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$88.3

$46.35 €40.41

35.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$4.23 €3.69

-31.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 CA$2.36

$0.85 €0.74

97.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 CA$49.85

$18.83 €16.41

88.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$2.02 €1.76

-39.60%

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

$25.0K CA$35.1K

$35.0K €30.5K

-28.45%

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

$19.7K CA$27.7K

$39.6K €34.6K

-50.31%

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

$142 CA$200

$148 €129

-3.87%

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

$51.6 CA$72.4

$20.52 €17.89

151.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 CA$83.7

$39.52 €34.46

50.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 CA$58.6

$48.17 €42.00

-13.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 CA$16.30

$9.10 €7.93

27.58%

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

$1,056 CA$1,482

$615 €536

71.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K CA$23.7K

$16.3K €14.2K

3.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 CA$74.0

$102 €88.6

-48.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 CA$56.3

$42.09 €36.69

-4.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 CA$121

$92.3 €80.5

-6.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$181

$122 €106

5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 CA$1,928

$1,612 €1,405

-14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 CA$1,641

$1,254 €1,093

-6.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 CA$3,157

$3,069 €2,676

-26.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CA$2,142

$2,037 €1,776

-25.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,185 CA$4,471

$1,602 €1,396

98.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

3.81

71.39%

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

Last update for Nelson BC: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,373 in Nelson BC and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson BC pays 99% 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: $66.0 in Nelson BC vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $267 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

Nelson BC vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nelson BC and Lisbon differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,363 vs $2,280 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 99% higher in Nelson BC, 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: $1,373 in Nelson BC versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,056 in Nelson BC versus $615 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Nelson BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,280 in Lisbon versus $2,363 in Nelson BC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Nelson BC. 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, Nelson BC 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 4% less than in Nelson BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.