Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hella and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Hella: $1,722 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Hella
🇮🇸 Iceland
$1,722
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,722 per month in Hella vs $2,223 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Hella $1,722
  • Lisbon $2,223

A couple spends around $2,928 per month in Hella vs $3,271 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Hella $2,928
  • Lisbon $3,271

A family of three spends $4,135 per month in Hella vs $4,319 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Hella $4,135
  • Lisbon $4,319

Hella is about 23% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hella and Lisbon sit above the global median – Hella by 28%, Lisbon by 65%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.26 ISK 3,791
$16.50 €14.67
89.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$123 ISK 14.9K
$61.3 €54.5
100.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$27.14 ISK 3,291
$11.27 €10.03
140.82%
Cappuccino
$6.93 ISK 841
$3.06 €2.72
126.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 ISK 407
$2.26 €2.01
48.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ISK 373
$1.73 €1.54
77.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.71 ISK 1,663
$3.39 €3.02
304.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.32 ISK 1,495
$3.40 €3.02
262.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 ISK 247
$1.12 €1.00
82.14%
White Bread (500g)
$4.26 ISK 516
$1.86 €1.65
129.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.58 ISK 434
$1.53 €1.36
133.99%
Eggs
$6.99 ISK 848
$3.96 €3.53
76.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.00 ISK 2,668
$12.76 €11.35
72.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$24.51 ISK 2,973
$7.90 €7.02
210.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$41.04 ISK 4,978
$16.97 €15.09
141.84%
Apples (1kg)
$3.35 ISK 406
$2.27 €2.02
47.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.86 ISK 347
$1.75 €1.55
63.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.13 ISK 379
$1.85 €1.64
69.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.62 ISK 803
$2.57 €2.28
157.59%
Potato (1kg)
$3.81 ISK 463
$1.86 €1.65
104.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 ISK 208
$2.02 €1.80
-15.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.78 ISK 458
$1.44 €1.28
162.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ISK 215
$0.82 €0.73
115.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.79 ISK 1,672
$6.56 €5.83
110.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.61 ISK 2,863
$5.62 €5.00
320.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.71 ISK 449
$1.28 €1.14
189.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ISK 425
$2.07 €1.84
69.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.35 €2.09
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.18 €39.30
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.61 ISK 802
$3.99 €3.55
65.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.76 ISK 335
$1.09 €0.97
153.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$81.2 ISK 9,844
$16.64 €14.81
387.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 ISK 253
$2.28 €2.03
-8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.2K ISK 6.2M
$33.7K €30.0K
52.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.1K ISK 6.6M
$39.3K €35.0K
37.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ISK 11.5K
$167 €149
-43.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.16 ISK 4,022
$18.80 €16.72
76.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$87.7 ISK 10.6K
$33.09 €29.43
165.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$46.01 €40.93
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.19 €17.07
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.67 ISK 2,386
$9.84 €8.75
99.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,198 ISK 145.2K
$677 €602
76.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.7K ISK 3.1M
$16.9K €15.1K
51.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$147 ISK 17.8K
$101 €90.1
44.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.0 ISK 8,130
$45.76 €40.70
46.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$183 ISK 22.2K
$100.0 €88.9
82.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$253 ISK 30.7K
$123 €109
106.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,614 €1,436
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,197 €1,065
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,862 €2,545
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,990 €1,770
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,577 €6,740
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,307 €3,831
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hella
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,588 €1,412
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.81
3.85
128.83%

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

Last update for Hella: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Hella
$620
Lisbon
$269 56.6% $351
Eating Out
Hella
$534
Lisbon
$242 54.6% $291
Clothing & Footwear
Hella
$292
Lisbon
$166 43.1% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hella
$216
Lisbon
$219 1.5% $3.3
Sport & Entertainment
Hella
$39 *
Lisbon
$66 67% $26
Getting Around
Hella
$20 *
Lisbon
$63 208% $43
Accommodation & Living
Hella
- *
Lisbon
$1.2K

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Hella versus $61.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $620 vs $269 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇸 Hella
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
00:15 12:15 AM
01:15 1:15 AM
1 h ahead of Hella
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
900
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hella Lisbon 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hella
  • 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
Hella vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Hella and in Lisbon compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,722 in Hella, $2,223 in Lisbon – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Hella compared to Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,583 per month in Hella and $3,335 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Hella or Lisbon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,722 in Hella and $2,223 in Lisbon. That's a gap of about 29%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Hella and Lisbon?
Kindergarten costs $1,198 per month in Hella and $677 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hella, where all-in costs run around $1,722, than in Lisbon at $2,223. In Hella it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Hella and Lisbon?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,722 in Hella to $2,223 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Hella or Lisbon safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Hella and Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Hella. 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.

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