Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,787 per month in Karlstad vs $2,296 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,727 per month in Karlstad vs $3,376 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,666 per month in Karlstad vs $4,457 in Lisbon, rent included.

Karlstad is about 22% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karlstad and Lisbon sit above the global median – Karlstad by 31%, Lisbon by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 SEK 150

$17.59 €15.33

-13.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 SEK 797

$62.9 €54.8

28.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 SEK 102

$11.58 €10.10

-10.36%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 48.57

$3.10 €2.70

59.03%

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

$2.55 SEK 25.09

$2.49 €2.17

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 20.17

$1.74 €1.52

17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 SEK 80.1

$3.48 €3.03

133.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 SEK 64.8

$3.44 €3.00

91.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 15.12

$1.15 €1.00

33.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 SEK 28.38

$1.91 €1.66

50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 36.51

$1.50 €1.31

146.67%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 44.82

$3.98 €3.47

14.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 SEK 101

$13.29 €11.59

-22.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 SEK 142

$8.01 €6.98

79.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.10 SEK 178

$18.04 €15.73

0.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 29.58

$2.35 €2.05

27.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 26.58

$1.75 €1.53

54.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 30.90

$1.85 €1.62

69.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 SEK 54.2

$2.55 €2.22

115.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.78

$1.84 €1.61

-2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.13

$2.10 €1.83

-17.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 26.63

$1.49 €1.30

81.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 13.23

$0.82 €0.71

63.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 SEK 69.8

$7.10 €6.19

-0.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 SEK 100

$5.91 €5.15

71.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 SEK 24.00

$1.31 €1.15

86.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SEK 20.28

$2.13 €1.86

-3.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 SEK 32.12

$2.36 €2.05

38.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.4 SEK 802

$46.62 €40.63

74.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 SEK 55.7

$4.08 €3.55

38.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SEK 13.30

$1.14 €0.99

18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.5 SEK 626

$17.09 €14.90

271.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 18.04

$2.31 €2.01

-20.78%

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

$34.0K SEK 334.9K

$34.1K €29.7K

-0.41%

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

$33.0K SEK 325.5K

$41.4K €36.1K

-20.17%

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

$102 SEK 1,005

$169 €147

-39.51%

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

$18.84 SEK 186

$19.33 €16.85

-2.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.60 SEK 440

$33.51 €29.21

33.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.80 SEK 461

$48.84 €42.57

-4.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 SEK 168

$19.43 €16.94

-12.20%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 SEK 145

$9.57 €8.34

53.92%

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

$132 SEK 1,298

$696 €607

-81.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 SEK 918

$105 €91.8

-11.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.89 SEK 403

$47.75 €41.62

-14.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 SEK 744

$101 €87.6

-24.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 SEK 1,435

$124 €108

17.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 SEK 8,673

$1,662 €1,449

-47.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 SEK 5,873

$1,246 €1,086

-52.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SEK 12.0K

$2,965 €2,584

-58.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 SEK 8,485

$2,049 €1,786

-57.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,869 SEK 38.1K

$7,834 €6,829

-50.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,857 SEK 28.2K

$4,464 €3,892

-36.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 SEK 30.3K

$1,632 €1,422

88.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

3.78

4.23%

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

Last update for Karlstad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Karlstad 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 88% higher in Karlstad, 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 $81.0 in Karlstad versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 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

Karlstad vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,681 per month in Karlstad 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 Karlstad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Karlstad and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,787 in Karlstad and $2,296 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlstad, where all-in costs run around $1,787, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Karlstad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karlstad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Karlstad. 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.