Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bålsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bålsta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,626 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $2,567 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $3,507 in Bålsta.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 42% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Bålsta 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$14.20 SEK 136

21.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$68.1 SEK 652

-7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$9.12 SEK 87.3

24.89%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$4.32 SEK 41.34

-26.16%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$2.79 SEK 26.66

-12.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.29 SEK 21.90

-23.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$7.26 SEK 69.4

-50.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$7.36 SEK 70.4

-53.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.55 SEK 14.83

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.05 SEK 19.62

-3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$3.70 SEK 35.43

-58.92%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$3.81 SEK 36.41

6.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$11.69 SEK 112

15.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$12.50 SEK 120

-32.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$11.46 SEK 110

59.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.69 SEK 25.74

-14.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.80 SEK 26.79

-37.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.15 SEK 20.54

-13.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.97 SEK 28.38

-11.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.54 SEK 14.75

24.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.28 SEK 12.24

63.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.62 SEK 15.50

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.07 SEK 10.24

-21.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$7.27 SEK 69.6

-6.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$10.58 SEK 101

-46.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.55 SEK 14.84

-10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.08 SEK 19.86

6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$3.47 SEK 33.16

-30.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$80.2 SEK 767

-41.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$6.04 SEK 57.8

-30.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.60 SEK 15.34

-28.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$83.0 SEK 794

-78.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.84 SEK 17.65

26.09%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$35.4K SEK 338.5K

-0.13%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$34.3K SEK 327.9K

20.91%

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

$170 €147

$53.6 SEK 513

217.66%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$21.09 SEK 202

-8.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$41.49 SEK 397

-18.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$39.72 SEK 380

21.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$26.61 SEK 255

-25.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$13.50 SEK 129

-26.52%

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

$717 €617

$127 SEK 1,213

465.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$5,225 SEK 50.0K

234.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$73.2 SEK 700

43.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$10.59 SEK 101

343.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$84.1 SEK 804

23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$115 SEK 1,103

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$856 SEK 8,185

95.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$626 SEK 5,992

102.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$1,390 SEK 13.3K

114.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$1,066 SEK 10.2K

86.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$4,199 SEK 40.2K

86.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$2,939 SEK 28.1K

58.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$4,069 SEK 38.9K

-61.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

26.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $856 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $311 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

Lisbon vs Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 157% lower in Bålsta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $856 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $1,626 in Bålsta – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 71% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,626 in Bålsta versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bålsta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.