Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Surrey versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Surrey versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,476 in Surrey versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

Living in Surrey is roughly 23% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surrey 106% above, Lisbon 67% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.54 CA$25.40
$15.73 โ‚ฌ13.42
17.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.1 CA$112
$63.2 โ‚ฌ53.9
29.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 CA$15.05
$10.32 โ‚ฌ8.80
6.40%
Cappuccino
$4.24 CA$5.80
$2.81 โ‚ฌ2.40
50.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 CA$2.81
$2.33 โ‚ฌ1.99
-12.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 CA$2.49
$1.51 โ‚ฌ1.29
20.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.96 CA$8.16
$3.37 โ‚ฌ2.87
76.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.90 CA$9.45
$3.91 โ‚ฌ3.34
76.47%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.65 CA$3.63
$1.08 โ‚ฌ0.92
145.37%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 CA$3.69
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.49
54.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.58 CA$7.64
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.50
218.86%
Eggs
$3.60 CA$4.93
$3.10 โ‚ฌ2.64
16.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.36 CA$14.19
$13.28 โ‚ฌ11.33
-21.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.66 CA$15.97
$7.85 โ‚ฌ6.70
48.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.34 CA$33.35
$16.05 โ‚ฌ13.69
51.65%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 CA$4.61
$2.39 โ‚ฌ2.04
41.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.33 CA$1.83
$1.72 โ‚ฌ1.47
-22.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.98 CA$4.08
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.68
51.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.36 CA$4.61
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.17
31.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 CA$3.20
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.53
30.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 CA$2.75
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.68
2.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.51 CA$3.44
$1.96 โ‚ฌ1.67
28.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.64
$0.84 โ‚ฌ0.71
128.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.77 CA$20.23
$6.82 โ‚ฌ5.82
116.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.67 CA$20.10
$5.85 โ‚ฌ4.99
150.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.80 CA$5.21
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.18
175.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.00 CA$5.47
$2.92 โ‚ฌ2.49
36.99%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.16 CA$4.33
$2.29 โ‚ฌ1.95
37.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$127 CA$174
$46.88 โ‚ฌ39.99
170.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 CA$3.87
$4.12 โ‚ฌ3.51
-31.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 CA$2.11
$0.81 โ‚ฌ0.69
90.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.06 CA$39.81
$18.94 โ‚ฌ16.16
53.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.86
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.78
-34.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.3K CA$34.7K
$35.1K โ‚ฌ30.0K
-27.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$28.8K
$39.7K โ‚ฌ33.9K
-47.08%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 CA$259
$150 โ‚ฌ128
26.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.09 CA$57.7
$20.49 โ‚ฌ17.48
105.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.3 CA$90.9
$39.15 โ‚ฌ33.40
69.37%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.84 CA$60.1
$49.65 โ‚ฌ42.35
-11.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.37 CA$25.17
$18.47 โ‚ฌ15.76
-0.54%
Cinema Ticket
$12.55 CA$17.20
$9.20 โ‚ฌ7.84
36.41%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$910 CA$1,247
$624 โ‚ฌ533
45.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.4K CA$17.0K
$15.9K โ‚ฌ13.6K
-22.14%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.9 CA$75.2
$102 โ‚ฌ87.2
-46.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 CA$74.4
$40.88 โ‚ฌ34.87
32.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 CA$142
$95.7 โ‚ฌ81.6
7.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.8 CA$133
$121 โ‚ฌ103
-20.08%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,658 CA$2,271
$1,653 โ‚ฌ1,410
0.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,404 CA$1,923
$1,233 โ‚ฌ1,051
13.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,055 CA$4,185
$3,043 โ‚ฌ2,596
0.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,407 CA$3,297
$2,059 โ‚ฌ1,756
16.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.3K CA$14.2K
$7,879 โ‚ฌ6,720
31.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,277 CA$11.3K
$4,303 โ‚ฌ3,671
92.33%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Surrey
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,141 CA$4,303
$1,566 โ‚ฌ1,336
100.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.54
3.81
71.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Surrey: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,658 in Surrey and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surrey pays 101% 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: $82 in Surrey vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $270 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
Surrey vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Surrey and Lisbon?
Surrey and Lisbon differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($2,759 vs $2,243 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Surrey or Lisbon?
Surrey pays 101% more on average, 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 Surrey and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,658 in Surrey versus $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Surrey and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $910 in Surrey versus $624 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Surrey. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
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.
How does quality of life compare between Surrey and Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Surrey or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Surrey 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: Surrey or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 23% less than in Surrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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