Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto 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 Toronto and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,561 in Toronto versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Toronto $2,561
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,694 in Toronto versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Toronto $3,694
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,826 in Toronto versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Toronto $4,826
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Toronto is roughly 15% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.18 CA$24.29
$16.50 €14.67
4.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.0 CA$107
$61.3 €54.5
24.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 CA$14.89
$11.27 €10.03
-6.48%
Cappuccino
$4.02 CA$5.68
$3.06 €2.72
31.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 CA$3.00
$2.26 €2.01
-6.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 CA$2.48
$1.73 €1.54
1.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.24 CA$8.83
$3.39 €3.02
84.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.09 CA$10.02
$3.40 €3.02
108.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$1.12 €1.00
117.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 CA$3.78
$1.86 €1.65
44.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 CA$3.17
$1.53 €1.36
46.41%
Eggs
$3.56 CA$5.03
$3.96 €3.53
-10.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.09 CA$12.85
$12.76 €11.35
-28.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.33 CA$16.01
$7.90 €7.02
43.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.53 CA$20.55
$16.97 €15.09
-14.38%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 CA$5.12
$2.27 €2.02
59.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$1.75 €1.55
-30.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.60 CA$5.09
$1.85 €1.64
94.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.96
$2.57 €2.28
63.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.53
$1.86 €1.65
-3.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 CA$2.25
$2.02 €1.80
-21.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$1.44 €1.28
57.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 CA$1.77
$0.82 €0.73
52.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 CA$19.53
$6.56 €5.83
110.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.27 CA$20.18
$5.62 €5.00
153.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 CA$3.10
$1.28 €1.14
71.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 CA$3.44
$2.07 €1.84
17.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.39 CA$3.38
$2.35 €2.09
1.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$111 CA$157
$44.18 €39.30
151.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 CA$4.12
$3.99 €3.55
-27.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 CA$1.69
$1.09 €0.97
10.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.38 CA$30.23
$16.64 €14.81
28.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.71
$2.28 €2.03
-46.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$33.7K €30.0K
-16.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.6K
$39.3K €35.0K
-48.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$170
$167 €149
-28.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.26 CA$45.60
$18.80 €16.72
71.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.93 CA$67.8
$33.09 €29.43
44.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.48 CA$54.4
$46.01 €40.93
-16.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.96 CA$32.46
$19.19 €17.07
19.65%
Cinema Ticket
$12.38 CA$17.50
$9.84 €8.75
25.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$830 CA$1,173
$677 €602
22.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K CA$32.6K
$16.9K €15.1K
36.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.7 CA$71.7
$101 €90.1
-49.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.02 CA$56.6
$45.76 €40.70
-12.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 CA$139
$100.0 €88.9
-2.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 CA$171
$123 €109
-1.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,592 CA$2,251
$1,614 €1,436
-1.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,410 CA$1,994
$1,197 €1,065
17.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,670 CA$3,775
$2,862 €2,545
-6.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,152 CA$3,042
$1,990 €1,770
8.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,945 CA$11.2K
$7,577 €6,740
4.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,542 CA$9,249
$4,307 €3,831
51.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,727 CA$5,269
$1,588 €1,412
134.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
3.85
16.10%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
Lisbon
$1.2K 15.1% $213
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$340
Lisbon
$269 20.7% $70
Eating Out
Toronto
$278
Lisbon
$242 12.9% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$201
Lisbon
$219 9.4% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$139
Lisbon
$166 19.5% $27
Getting Around
Toronto
$129
Lisbon
$63 51.3% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$63
Lisbon
$66 3.9% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Toronto and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 135% 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: $76.0 in Toronto vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
04:32 4:32 AM
09:32 9:32 AM
5 h ahead of Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
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 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto Lisbon 5,730 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Toronto
  • 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
Toronto vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Toronto and in Lisbon?
Toronto and Lisbon differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,561 vs $2,223 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Toronto or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 135% higher in Toronto, 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 Toronto and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,592 in Toronto versus $1,614 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 Toronto and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $830 in Toronto versus $677 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 26% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,561 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Toronto 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 Toronto or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Toronto 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: Toronto or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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