GeoRealityMatch
A touring boat cruises on a river with a city skyline backdrop under a bright sky.Canada
Scenic view of Lisbon's terracotta rooftops with the iconic 25th April Bridge in the background.Portugal

Compare countries · Canada vs Portugal

Canada vs Portugal

CanadaNorth AmericaPortugalSouthern Europe

Portugal is cheaper (cost of living 48.8 vs 63.0) and more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.427 vs 1.525).Canada scores higher on human development (0.939 vs 0.890) and has the higher income per person ($56,420 vs $29,930).About the same on life expectancy (Canada 82.1, Portugal 82.4 years).

Change countries or currency →Deciding for real? Run the matcher →
Safety

Portugal is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
Canada1.525Very high safety#14 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Portugal1.427Very high safety#7 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
Canada2.0ModerateUNODC / World Bank · 2023
Portugal0.7Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2022
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
Canada54.4ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Portugal67HighNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
CanadaNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
PortugalNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
Money

Income per person is higher in Canada

GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
Canada$56,420Very highWorld Bank · 2025
Portugal$29,930HighWorld Bank · 2025
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
Canada63.0ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Portugal48.8AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
Canada31.5Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Portugal25.2Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
Canada7.5Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Portugal13.9ExpensiveNumbeo · 2026
Health

Life expectancy: Portugal 82.4, Canada 82.1

Life expectancyyears, at birth
Canada82.1Very high#28 of 195World Bank · 2024
Portugal82.4Very high#23 of 195World Bank · 2024
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
Canada92Very highWHO · 2023
Portugal83Very highWHO · 2023
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
Canada8.8LowWHO · 2023
Portugal6.2Very lowWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in Canada

Home internetmedian download speed
Canada278 MbpsVery fast#11 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Portugal242 MbpsVery fast#20 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Youth unemploymentshare of 15 to 24 year olds in the labour force
CanadaNo figure from Eurostat
Portugal19.5%HighEurostat · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
CanadaNative EnglishNativeEF EPI · 2025
Portugal612Very highEF EPI · 2025
How it changed

Human development: Canada 0.939, Portugal 0.890

CanadaPortugal

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:CanadaPortugal

Practical facts

Capital
Ottawa
Lisbon
Population
41.7M (2025)
10.8M (2025)
Languages
English, French
Portuguese
Currency
Canadian dollar (CAD)
euro (EUR)
Area
8,788,700 km²
91,606 km²
Plug type
Type A/B
Type C/F
Drives on the
right
right
Short visit
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

Canada and Portugal, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is Canada cheaper than Portugal?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts Canada at 63.0 and Portugal at 48.8. Portugal is about 23% cheaper overall.

Is Canada or Portugal safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), Canada scores 1.52 and Portugal scores 1.43. Portugal ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

Which has the higher quality of life, Canada or Portugal?

On the UN Human Development Index, Canada scores 0.939 and Portugal scores 0.890. Canada scores higher on this composite of income, health and education. Single indexes hide trade-offs; the full comparison above shows where each country wins.

What is life like in Canada compared to Portugal?

GNI per capita runs $56,420 in Canada against $29,930 in Portugal; people live 82.1 years on average against 82.4; Numbeo users rate healthcare 69 against 72. Those are national averages and they hide the thing you actually feel: capital-city costs run well ahead of the national figure in most countries, and rural provision of healthcare and internet often lags the number shown here. The table below splits it indicator by indicator.

More comparisons

Brazil vs PortugalCanada vs IndiaCanada vs IrelandPortugal vs SpainItaly vs PortugalCanada vs SwedenCompare any two countries →
Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by Chris TDL, Rıdvan Yıldırım on Pexels