Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,964 per month in Kalmar vs $2,296 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,950 per month in Kalmar vs $3,376 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,935 per month in Kalmar vs $4,457 in Lisbon, rent included.

Kalmar is about 14% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kalmar and Lisbon sit above the global median – Kalmar by 44%, Lisbon by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.65 SEK 154

$17.59 €15.33

-11.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 SEK 715

$62.9 €54.8

15.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.77 SEK 106

$11.58 €10.10

-6.99%

Cappuccino

$4.66 SEK 45.96

$3.10 €2.70

50.32%

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

$2.84 SEK 27.94

$2.49 €2.17

14.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 SEK 27.00

$1.74 €1.52

57.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 SEK 96.3

$3.48 €3.03

180.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 SEK 73.8

$3.44 €3.00

117.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SEK 15.21

$1.15 €1.00

33.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 27.98

$1.91 €1.66

48.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 31.21

$1.50 €1.31

111.33%

Eggs

$4.75 SEK 46.78

$3.98 €3.47

19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 116

$13.29 €11.59

-11.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 SEK 112

$8.01 €6.98

41.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.26 SEK 229

$18.04 €15.73

28.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 25.36

$2.35 €2.05

9.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.76

$1.75 €1.53

61.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 SEK 32.89

$1.85 €1.62

80.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 SEK 41.57

$2.55 €2.22

65.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 SEK 14.17

$1.84 €1.61

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.99

$2.10 €1.83

-22.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 SEK 18.76

$1.49 €1.30

27.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SEK 17.92

$0.82 €0.71

121.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SEK 78.0

$7.10 €6.19

11.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 SEK 91.8

$5.91 €5.15

57.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.73

$1.31 €1.15

52.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SEK 26.13

$2.13 €1.86

24.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.54 SEK 34.88

$2.36 €2.05

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.7 SEK 805

$46.62 €40.63

75.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 SEK 98.2

$4.08 €3.55

144.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 SEK 17.77

$1.14 €0.99

57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.83 SEK 481

$17.09 €14.90

185.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.76

$2.31 €2.01

-22.08%

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

$31.8K SEK 313.2K

$34.1K €29.7K

-6.86%

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

$30.3K SEK 298.5K

$41.4K €36.1K

-26.78%

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

$149 SEK 1,466

$169 €147

-11.74%

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

$28.32 SEK 279

$19.33 €16.85

46.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.82 SEK 323

$33.51 €29.21

-2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.24 SEK 308

$48.84 €42.57

-36.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.42 SEK 260

$19.43 €16.94

35.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.47 SEK 152

$9.57 €8.34

61.65%

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

$144 SEK 1,415

$696 €607

-79.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,193 SEK 51.2K

$17.4K €15.1K

-70.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 SEK 514

$105 €91.8

-50.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 SEK 444

$47.75 €41.62

-5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 820

$101 €87.6

-17.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 SEK 1,046

$124 €108

-14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 SEK 9,238

$1,662 €1,449

-43.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 SEK 7,979

$1,246 €1,086

-35.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 SEK 13.6K

$2,965 €2,584

-53.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 SEK 11.6K

$2,049 €1,786

-42.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,317 SEK 42.5K

$7,834 €6,829

-44.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,829 SEK 27.9K

$4,464 €3,892

-36.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,939 SEK 29.0K

$1,632 €1,422

80.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

3.78

3.97%

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

Last update for Kalmar: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $937 in Kalmar versus $1,662 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 80% higher in Kalmar, 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 Kalmar versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $277 – 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

Kalmar vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,964 in Kalmar, $2,296 in Lisbon – roughly 17% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,947 per month in Kalmar and $3,444 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $144 per month in Kalmar and $696 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalmar, where all-in costs run around $1,964, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Kalmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,964 in Kalmar to $2,296 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kalmar. 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.