Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Esbjerg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Esbjerg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $2,248 in Esbjerg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $3,330 in Esbjerg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $4,412 in Esbjerg, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 1% more than Esbjerg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lisbon and Esbjerg sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Esbjerg by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$21.76 DKK 140

-19.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$111 DKK 712

-41.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$14.15 DKK 91.2

-17.67%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$5.27 DKK 33.94

-38.14%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$3.23 DKK 20.83

-22.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.89 DKK 18.59

-42.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$7.82 DKK 50.4

-55.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$6.66 DKK 42.90

-46.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.94 DKK 12.50

-39.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.36 DKK 15.20

-17.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.20 DKK 14.17

-29.09%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$4.98 DKK 32.10

-19.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$7.09 DKK 45.69

87.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$12.06 DKK 77.7

-30.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.07 DKK 64.9

81.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.31 DKK 14.91

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.98 DKK 12.73

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.28 DKK 14.70

-15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.84 DKK 18.30

-7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.06 DKK 13.25

-7.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.14 DKK 13.82

-1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.60 DKK 10.28

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.75 DKK 4.86

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$9.16 DKK 59.1

-23.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$6.83 DKK 44.01

-13.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.56 DKK 10.05

-12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.33 DKK 14.98

-7.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$3.97 DKK 25.58

-40.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$197 DKK 1,271

-76.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$19.60 DKK 126

-78.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$2.21 DKK 14.23

-50.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$78.9 DKK 509

-78.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.21 DKK 14.27

1.81%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$52.0K DKK 335.2K

-33.73%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$56.7K DKK 365.6K

-26.64%

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

$171 €147

$225 DKK 1,449

-24.00%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$16.33 DKK 105

16.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$46.71 DKK 301

-26.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$39.60 DKK 255

25.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$38.78 DKK 250

-49.69%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$22.74 DKK 147

-55.58%

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

$699 €603

$582 DKK 3,751

20.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$8,744 DKK 56.4K

103.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$107 DKK 689

-2.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$45.96 DKK 296

4.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$76.4 DKK 492

33.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$123 DKK 793

4.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$1,331 DKK 8,579

24.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$807 DKK 5,201

52.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,612 DKK 10.4K

80.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,185 DKK 7,637

70.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$3,007 DKK 19.4K

170.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$2,296 DKK 14.8K

101.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$5,150 DKK 33.2K

-68.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.2

-10.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Esbjerg: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $1,331 in Esbjerg. 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 218% higher in Esbjerg, 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $111 in Esbjerg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $282 – 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

Lisbon vs Esbjerg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $3,372 in Esbjerg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $582 in Esbjerg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,268 in Lisbon and $2,248 in Esbjerg. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Esbjerg – 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 Esbjerg. 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.