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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Karlstad vs $2,227 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,725 per month in Karlstad vs $3,305 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,683 per month in Karlstad vs $4,384 in Lisbon, rent included.

Karlstad is about 21% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karlstad and Lisbon sit above the global median – Karlstad by 32%, Lisbon by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.54 SEK 144

$16.17 €13.81

-3.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 SEK 623

$64.6 €55.1

4.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 SEK 102

$10.38 €8.86

5.59%

Cappuccino

$4.81 SEK 44.62

$2.77 €2.37

73.65%

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

$2.57 SEK 23.79

$2.25 €1.92

14.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.66

$1.57 €1.34

35.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.27 SEK 76.7

$3.49 €2.98

136.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 76.0

$4.00 €3.42

105.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 SEK 13.07

$1.08 €0.93

30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 SEK 26.43

$1.74 €1.49

63.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.12

$1.74 €1.48

117.82%

Eggs

$4.86 SEK 45.02

$3.18 €2.71

52.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 SEK 111

$13.43 €11.47

-10.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 SEK 129

$7.99 €6.83

74.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 158

$16.09 €13.74

5.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 28.64

$2.28 €1.95

35.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 23.67

$1.72 €1.47

48.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.20

$1.94 €1.66

68.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 SEK 46.22

$2.54 €2.17

96.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.69

$1.83 €1.56

-13.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.10

$2.04 €1.74

-14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.29

$1.98 €1.69

32.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 11.80

$0.85 €0.73

49.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SEK 67.2

$6.85 €5.85

5.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 SEK 101

$5.78 €4.93

88.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 16.28

$1.37 €1.17

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 15.88

$2.90 €2.48

-41.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 29.63

$2.28 €1.95

40.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 SEK 788

$46.84 €40.00

81.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 52.7

$4.08 €3.48

39.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SEK 12.61

$0.82 €0.70

65.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 SEK 595

$18.27 €15.60

251.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.67

$2.01 €1.71

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

$32.0K SEK 296.4K

$35.3K €30.1K

-9.33%

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

$34.0K SEK 315.0K

$38.5K €32.9K

-11.70%

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

$108 SEK 1,001

$145 €124

-25.73%

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

$29.61 SEK 274

$20.96 €17.90

41.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 SEK 398

$40.05 €34.21

7.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.25 SEK 429

$48.79 €41.66

-5.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 SEK 163

$18.69 €15.97

-6.05%

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 SEK 136

$9.06 €7.74

61.70%

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

$150 SEK 1,389

$607 €518

-75.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,178 SEK 29.5K

$16.3K €13.9K

-80.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 SEK 804

$105 €89.4

-17.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 SEK 390

$40.95 €34.97

2.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SEK 748

$93.6 €79.9

-13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,363

$119 €101

24.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 9,695

$1,604 €1,370

-34.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,303

$1,236 €1,055

-53.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 SEK 11.5K

$3,046 €2,601

-59.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 SEK 8,172

$2,057 €1,756

-57.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,375 SEK 31.3K

$1,584 €1,353

113.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

3.81

25.98%

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

Last update for Karlstad: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Karlstad versus $1,604 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 113% 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 $67.0 in Karlstad versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $271 – 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 26%, 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 $2,651 per month in Karlstad and $3,341 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 $67.0 in Karlstad and $65.0 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 $1,767 in Karlstad and $2,227 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 $1,767, than in Lisbon at $2,227. 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.