Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sault Ste. Marie and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Sault Ste. Marie: $2,059 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Sault Ste. Marie
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sault Ste. Marie and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sault Ste. Marie and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $2,059
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,008 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $3,008
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,956 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $3,956
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Sault Ste. Marie costs roughly 6% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sault Ste. Marie 52% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.17 CA$24.28
$17.04 €15.15
0.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 CA$99.8
$62.3 €55.4
13.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.23 CA$14.46
$11.02 €9.80
-7.17%
Cappuccino
$3.47 CA$4.90
$3.12 €2.78
11.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 CA$2.32
$2.27 €2.02
-27.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 CA$1.91
$1.74 €1.55
-22.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.68 CA$6.62
$3.42 €3.04
36.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 CA$7.07
$3.74 €3.33
33.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.42 CA$3.43
$1.17 €1.04
106.84%
White Bread (500g)
$2.14 CA$3.02
$1.86 €1.66
15.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.27 CA$4.63
$1.54 €1.37
112.34%
Eggs
$2.98 CA$4.22
$4.06 €3.61
-26.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 CA$11.76
$12.91 €11.49
-35.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.97 CA$14.10
$7.90 €7.03
26.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.51 CA$14.86
$17.64 €15.69
-40.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$2.26 €2.01
38.94%
Banana (1kg)
$0.99 CA$1.40
$1.75 €1.55
-43.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.06 CA$4.33
$1.89 €1.68
61.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.54 CA$5.01
$2.56 €2.27
38.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 CA$2.79
$1.85 €1.64
6.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 CA$2.39
$1.97 €1.75
-14.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.77 CA$3.92
$1.45 €1.29
91.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 CA$1.79
$0.77 €0.69
64.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.75 CA$22.26
$6.71 €5.97
134.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.67 CA$15.08
$5.67 €5.04
88.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 CA$2.60
$1.37 €1.22
34.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 CA$3.23
$2.11 €1.88
8.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.24 CA$3.16
$2.32 €2.07
-3.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.5 CA$81.2
$44.43 €39.52
29.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$3.95 €3.51
-12.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.31 CA$3.26
$1.05 €0.93
120.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.97 CA$32.47
$17.15 €15.26
33.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 CA$1.52
$2.19 €1.95
-50.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.5K CA$37.5K
$33.8K €30.0K
-21.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.6K
$38.3K €34.0K
-47.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 CA$246
$164 €146
6.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.36 CA$62.7
$18.48 €16.43
140.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.7 CA$108
$32.96 €29.32
132.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 CA$71.0
$45.87 €40.80
9.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.62 CA$24.90
$18.68 €16.61
-5.67%
Cinema Ticket
$11.18 CA$15.80
$9.75 €8.67
14.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$684 €608
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,984 CA$7,046
$17.6K €15.7K
-71.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.63 CA$64.5
$104 €92.3
-56.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.58 CA$50.3
$46.20 €41.09
-22.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.8 CA$106
$99.7 €88.7
-25.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 CA$170
$125 €111
-3.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$893 CA$1,262
$1,589 €1,414
-43.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$931 CA$1,316
$1,169 €1,040
-20.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,325 CA$1,873
$2,851 €2,536
-53.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,455 CA$2,057
$1,993 €1,773
-27.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,868 CA$2,640
$7,793 €6,932
-76.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,432 CA$7,679
$4,418 €3,930
22.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sault Ste. Marie
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,049 CA$4,310
$1,600 €1,423
90.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.53
3.85
43.64%

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

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: October 20, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sault Ste. Marie
$931
Lisbon
$1.2K 25.5% $238
Groceries & Markets
Sault Ste. Marie
$299
Lisbon
$273 8.8% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sault Ste. Marie
$295
Lisbon
$215 27.1% $80
Eating Out
Sault Ste. Marie
$255
Lisbon
$247 3% $7.6
Clothing & Footwear
Sault Ste. Marie
$124
Lisbon
$168 35.5% $44
Getting Around
Sault Ste. Marie
$81
Lisbon
$63 22.7% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Sault Ste. Marie
$73
Lisbon
$65 10% $7.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Sault Ste. Marie and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sault Ste. Marie pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Sault Ste. Marie vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Sault Ste. Marie
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
09:12 9:12 AM
14:12 2:12 PM
5 h ahead of Sault Ste. Marie
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
73,368
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

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).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Sault Ste. Marie Lisbon 5,980 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sault Ste. Marie
  • Lisbon

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
Sault Ste. Marie vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sault Ste. Marie and in Lisbon?
Sault Ste. Marie and Lisbon differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,059 vs $2,202 including rent). Sault Ste. Marie is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sault Ste. Marie or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 91% higher in Sault Ste. Marie, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Sault Ste. Marie and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $893 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sault Ste. Marie or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $2,059 per month in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,202 in Lisbon – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Sault Ste. Marie but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sault Ste. Marie the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sault Ste. Marie and Lisbon?
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 Sault Ste. Marie or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sault Ste. Marie 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.
Where should expats move: Sault Ste. Marie or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Sault Ste. Marie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Sault Ste. Marie vs other spots: cost of living compared

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