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Calgary vs Lisbon cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ฆ Calgary
๐ต๐น Lisbon
At a glance
- Where Lisbon is clearly cheaper: Beer (56%โ), Bottled water (49%โ), Street food (47%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (37%โ), Studio rent (month) (22%โ), Hotel night (19%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Calgary is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Calgary 1 vs Lisbon 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Calgary | Lisbon | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | โฌ 12$14 | Lisbon โ24% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | โฌ 4$4.65 | Lisbon โ47% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | โฌ 30$34.9 | Lisbon โ14% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | โฌ 2$2.33 | Lisbon โ47% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | Lisbon โ56% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Lisbon โ5% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | Lisbon โ49% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | Lisbon โ21% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | โฌ 7$8.14 | Lisbon โ35% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | โฌ 5$5.81 | Lisbon โ21% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | โฌ 1.9$2.21 | Lisbon โ25% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Calgary โ37% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | โฌ 140$163 | Calgary โ19% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | โฌ 1,300$1,512 | Calgary โ22% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | Lisbon โ22% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Lisbon โ32% |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Lisbon โ28% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | โฌ 50$58.1 | Lisbon โ21% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Lisbon โ37% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Lisbon โ5% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Calgary or Lisbon?
Calgary and Lisbon cost about the same. Daily budget $274 vs $272; a month $4,857 vs $5,020.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Lisbon?
Calgary is easier: Calgary 1.4/5 vs Lisbon 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Lisbon?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Lisbon about $5,020 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.