Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,606 in Squamish, BC versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,941 in Squamish, BC versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,275 in Squamish, BC versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Squamish, BC is roughly 14% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Squamish, BC 91% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 CA$20.83

$17.59 €15.23

-14.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 CA$78.5

$62.9 €54.4

-10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.50 CA$14.60

$11.58 €10.03

-9.33%

Cappuccino

$3.94 CA$5.47

$3.10 €2.68

27.10%

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

$1.87 CA$2.60

$2.49 €2.15

-24.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.74 €1.51

-14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 CA$8.15

$3.48 €3.01

68.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 CA$7.87

$3.44 €2.98

64.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.15 €0.99

47.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$1.91 €1.65

17.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.11

$1.50 €1.30

145.33%

Eggs

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.98 €3.45

-18.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 CA$17.94

$13.29 €11.51

-2.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.12 CA$21.02

$8.01 €6.94

88.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 CA$27.69

$18.04 €15.62

10.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 CA$7.86

$2.35 €2.04

140.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.75 €1.52

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.23

$1.85 €1.61

103.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.11

$2.55 €2.21

44.31%

Potato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.85

$1.84 €1.60

128.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.55

$2.10 €1.82

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.51

$1.49 €1.29

69.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.58

$0.82 €0.71

125.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.11 CA$22.39

$7.10 €6.15

126.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 CA$15.03

$5.91 €5.11

82.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.31 €1.14

125.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 CA$4.91

$2.13 €1.85

65.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$2.36 €2.04

-40.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.81 CA$42.83

$46.62 €40.36

-33.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 CA$4.88

$4.08 €3.53

-13.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.06

$1.14 €0.99

29.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.51 CA$35.46

$17.09 €14.80

49.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$2.31 €2.00

-50.22%

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

$27.0K CA$37.5K

$34.1K €29.5K

-20.99%

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

$19.1K CA$26.5K

$41.4K €35.8K

-53.93%

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

$118 CA$165

$169 €146

-29.79%

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

$44.30 CA$61.6

$19.33 €16.74

129.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CA$91.8

$33.51 €29.01

96.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 CA$71.5

$48.84 €42.28

5.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.82

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 CA$15.75

$9.57 €8.28

18.39%

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

$373 CA$519

$696 €602

-46.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,899 CA$11.0K

$17.4K €15.0K

-54.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$74.3

$105 €91.2

-49.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 CA$48.73

$47.75 €41.34

-26.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 CA$113

$101 €87.0

-18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$140

$124 €108

-19.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$1,662 €1,439

-1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 CA$2,138

$1,246 €1,079

23.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,202 CA$4,451

$2,965 €2,566

8.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,882 CA$4,007

$2,049 €1,773

40.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,057 CA$8,419

$7,834 €6,782

-22.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,865

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,093 CA$4,299

$1,632 €1,412

89.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

3.78

24.87%

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

Last update for Squamish, BC: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,629 in Squamish, BC and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Squamish, BC pays 90% 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: $56.0 in Squamish, BC vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $404 vs $277, 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

Squamish, BC vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Squamish, BC and Lisbon differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,606 vs $2,296 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 90% higher in Squamish, 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: $1,629 in Squamish, BC versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $373 in Squamish, BC versus $696 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 Squamish, BC. 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, Squamish, 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 14% less than in Squamish, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.