Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,640 in Bålsta versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,500 in Bålsta versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,359 in Bålsta versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 26% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 22% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.33 SEK 124

$15.91 €13.69

-16.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 SEK 637

$64.8 €55.7

5.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 SEK 88.1

$10.51 €9.04

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$4.10 SEK 38.27

$2.87 €2.47

42.86%

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

$2.78 SEK 25.92

$2.24 €1.93

24.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.43

$1.50 €1.29

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 SEK 68.6

$3.49 €3.00

110.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 SEK 70.1

$3.88 €3.34

93.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.16

$1.14 €0.98

42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 SEK 19.41

$1.75 €1.51

18.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.36

$1.76 €1.51

115.34%

Eggs

$3.91 SEK 36.51

$3.22 €2.77

21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$13.49 €11.61

-15.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 SEK 111

$7.91 €6.81

49.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$15.87 €13.65

-28.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.37

$2.31 €1.99

17.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 24.76

$1.70 €1.46

55.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 SEK 22.20

$2.01 €1.73

18.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 SEK 27.27

$2.46 €2.12

18.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.56

$1.84 €1.59

-15.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.14

$2.00 €1.72

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 SEK 14.97

$1.93 €1.66

-17.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 SEK 9.68

$0.79 €0.68

31.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SEK 70.2

$6.61 €5.68

13.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 SEK 101

$5.72 €4.92

89.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.49

$1.37 €1.17

13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.23

$2.97 €2.56

-34.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 31.82

$2.37 €2.04

43.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 SEK 681

$45.56 €39.19

60.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 57.9

$4.29 €3.69

44.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.14

$0.82 €0.70

45.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.6 SEK 761

$18.30 €15.74

345.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.05

$2.06 €1.78

-6.31%

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

$32.0K SEK 298.3K

$34.3K €29.5K

-6.75%

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

$34.4K SEK 320.8K

$39.3K €33.8K

-12.49%

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

$53.1 SEK 495

$148 €127

-64.09%

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

$20.82 SEK 194

$20.52 €17.65

1.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.89 SEK 344

$39.61 €34.08

-6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.85 SEK 372

$47.85 €41.16

-16.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.53 SEK 238

$18.92 €16.28

34.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SEK 126

$9.18 €7.90

47.06%

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

$125 SEK 1,165

$614 €528

-79.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$748 SEK 6,978

$16.0K €13.8K

-95.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 SEK 703

$105 €90.0

-28.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.66 SEK 99.5

$42.06 €36.18

-74.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SEK 789

$94.0 €80.8

-10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,074

$120 €103

-3.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 SEK 7,860

$1,628 €1,400

-48.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 SEK 6,199

$1,255 €1,080

-47.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 SEK 13.2K

$3,030 €2,607

-53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 SEK 10.0K

$2,020 €1,738

-46.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,129 SEK 38.5K

$7,800 €6,709

-47.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,918 SEK 27.2K

$4,273 €3,675

-31.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,120 SEK 38.4K

$1,603 €1,379

156.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-21.26%

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

Last update for Bålsta: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $842 in Bålsta and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bålsta vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $269 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

Bålsta vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bålsta pays 157% more on average, 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: $842 in Bålsta versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,640 per month in Bålsta versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 60% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,640 in Bålsta versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,640 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta 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 Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.