Cost of Living Comparison Between Halmstad and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Halmstad and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,714 per month in Halmstad vs $2,263 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,670 per month in Halmstad vs $3,315 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,627 per month in Halmstad vs $4,368 in Lisbon, rent included.

Halmstad is about 24% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Halmstad and Lisbon sit above the global median – Halmstad by 28%, Lisbon by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.50 SEK 127

$15.94 €13.73

-15.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 SEK 686

$63.4 €54.6

15.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 SEK 100

$10.38 €8.95

2.89%

Cappuccino

$4.99 SEK 46.84

$2.79 €2.40

78.85%

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

$2.97 SEK 27.86

$2.34 €2.01

26.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SEK 23.12

$1.57 €1.35

56.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 SEK 69.6

$3.43 €2.95

116.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 SEK 58.5

$3.91 €3.37

59.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 SEK 14.24

$1.08 €0.93

40.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 SEK 24.18

$1.77 €1.52

45.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 31.66

$1.71 €1.47

97.66%

Eggs

$3.44 SEK 32.31

$3.15 €2.71

9.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 SEK 107

$13.68 €11.79

-16.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 SEK 89.4

$8.01 €6.90

18.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.68 SEK 175

$15.52 €13.37

20.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 SEK 28.71

$2.29 €1.98

33.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.33

$1.64 €1.41

64.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 27.50

$1.94 €1.67

51.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 SEK 40.47

$2.51 €2.17

71.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.44

$1.79 €1.54

-13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.02

$2.01 €1.73

-20.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 SEK 20.15

$1.97 €1.69

9.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 SEK 9.26

$0.84 €0.73

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 SEK 66.3

$6.79 €5.85

3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 SEK 102

$5.67 €4.89

92.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.22

$1.39 €1.20

55.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SEK 23.68

$3.02 €2.60

-16.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 SEK 27.88

$2.27 €1.95

30.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 SEK 650

$45.44 €39.15

52.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 SEK 47.37

$4.29 €3.70

17.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.74

$0.85 €0.73

84.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.95 SEK 403

$18.28 €15.75

134.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.04

$1.99 €1.71

-3.52%

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

$23.4K SEK 219.6K

$35.0K €30.2K

-33.17%

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

$21.2K SEK 198.5K

$39.5K €34.1K

-46.48%

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

$140 SEK 1,316

$146 €126

-4.04%

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

$25.50 SEK 239

$20.45 €17.62

24.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.00 SEK 347

$38.98 €33.58

-5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.54 SEK 371

$48.98 €42.21

-19.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.56 SEK 240

$18.83 €16.22

35.74%

Cinema Ticket

$17.21 SEK 161

$9.52 €8.21

80.78%

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

$159 SEK 1,495

$608 €524

-73.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,129 SEK 38.7K

$16.5K €14.2K

-74.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 SEK 822

$104 €89.5

-15.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.06 SEK 348

$42.12 €36.29

-12.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 SEK 922

$92.2 €79.5

6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,449

$120 €103

28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 SEK 5,721

$1,621 €1,397

-62.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,362

$1,268 €1,092

-54.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 SEK 10.9K

$3,048 €2,626

-61.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 SEK 9,414

$2,009 €1,731

-50.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,511 SEK 42.3K

$7,663 €6,602

-41.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,423 SEK 22.7K

$1,585 €1,366

52.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

3.81

2.36%

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

Last update for Halmstad: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $610 in Halmstad versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 53% higher in Halmstad, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Halmstad versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $269 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Halmstad vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 32% more than Halmstad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,571 per month in Halmstad and $3,394 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Halmstad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Halmstad and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Halmstad, where all-in costs run around $1,714, than in Lisbon at $2,263. In Halmstad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Halmstad costs $1,714 versus $2,263 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Halmstad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.