Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,557 in Saanich versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,595 in Saanich versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,633 in Saanich versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Saanich is roughly 16% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saanich 91% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.59 CA$20.27

$15.91 €13.70

-8.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 CA$93.2

$64.8 €55.8

3.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.12

$10.51 €9.05

3.52%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.38

$2.87 €2.47

34.84%

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

$2.24 CA$3.11

$2.24 €1.93

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$1.50 €1.30

20.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.36

$3.49 €3.01

51.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.25

$3.88 €3.34

71.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.14 €0.98

51.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.82

$1.75 €1.51

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 CA$7.35

$1.76 €1.51

200.57%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.22 €2.77

11.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.51

$13.49 €11.62

-17.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.84 CA$17.85

$7.91 €6.81

62.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 CA$18.27

$15.87 €13.67

-17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.13

$2.31 €1.99

90.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$1.70 €1.46

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 CA$6.27

$2.01 €1.73

124.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.78

$2.46 €2.12

98.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.84 €1.59

104.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.54

$2.00 €1.72

63.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.93 €1.66

37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$0.79 €0.68

217.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 CA$16.47

$6.61 €5.69

79.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.65 CA$21.74

$5.72 €4.93

173.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 CA$5.38

$1.37 €1.18

182.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 CA$6.33

$2.97 €2.56

53.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$2.37 €2.04

-20.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 CA$112

$45.56 €39.23

77.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$4.29 €3.69

-37.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$0.82 €0.70

67.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.40

$18.30 €15.76

78.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$2.06 €1.78

-34.47%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$34.3K €29.5K

-26.07%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$39.3K €33.8K

-45.91%

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

$136 CA$189

$148 €127

-7.92%

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

$21.17 CA$29.41

$20.52 €17.67

3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 CA$100

$39.61 €34.11

81.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 CA$103

$47.85 €41.20

54.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 CA$16.19

$9.18 €7.91

26.91%

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

$626 CA$870

$614 €529

1.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K CA$19.7K

$16.0K €13.8K

-11.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.1

$105 €90.1

-44.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.36 CA$50.5

$42.06 €36.22

-13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 CA$134

$94.0 €80.9

2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$156

$120 €103

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 CA$2,056

$1,628 €1,402

-9.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 CA$1,889

$1,255 €1,081

8.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 CA$2,958

$3,030 €2,609

-29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,919 CA$2,666

$2,020 €1,740

-5.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,368 CA$6,069

$7,800 €6,716

-43.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,304 CA$4,590

$4,273 €3,679

-22.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 CA$4,089

$1,603 €1,381

83.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

3.81

62.20%

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

Last update for Saanich: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,480 in Saanich and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saanich pays 84% 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: $67.0 in Saanich vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $269 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

Saanich vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saanich and Lisbon differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,557 vs $2,210 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saanich pays 84% 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: $1,480 in Saanich versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $626 in Saanich versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Saanich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Saanich 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 16% less than in Saanich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.