Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Espoo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Espoo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $2,239 in Espoo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $3,553 in Espoo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $4,867 in Espoo, rent included.

Lisbon is about 1% cheaper than Espoo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Espoo sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Espoo by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$14.91 €12.84

5.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$103 €89.1

-39.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$11.39 €9.81

-7.46%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$5.21 €4.48

-46.83%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$3.50 €3.01

-34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$3.06 €2.64

-49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$9.13 €7.86

-61.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$10.52 €9.06

-62.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.31 €1.13

-17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.85 €2.45

-37.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.27 €2.81

-45.87%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$3.55 €3.06

-12.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$10.14 €8.73

31.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$16.92 €14.57

-52.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$21.37 €18.41

-25.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.75 €2.37

-17.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$2.09 €1.80

-21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.96 €2.55

-33.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.82 €4.15

-49.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.36 €1.17

30.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.16 €1.86

-8.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.10 €1.81

-6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.84 €1.59

-56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$12.56 €10.81

-47.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$14.03 €12.08

-59.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$4.13 €3.55

-68.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$4.40 €3.79

-32.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$3.53 €3.04

-33.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$76.0 €65.4

-39.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$10.32 €8.89

-58.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.58 €1.36

-46.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$53.0 €45.67

-64.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.11 €1.82

-1.90%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$32.8K €28.2K

7.56%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$35.3K €30.4K

9.23%

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

$151 €130

$116 €100

30.07%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$30.31 €26.10

-31.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$18.36 €15.81

115.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$58.3 €50.2

-17.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$43.69 €37.63

-57.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$17.65 €15.20

-48.78%

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

$610 €525

$335 €288

82.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$20.9K €18.0K

-22.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$115 €99.4

-12.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$60.0 €51.6

-32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$103 €88.8

-9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$190 €163

-37.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,041 €897

53.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$961 €828

28.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$2,043 €1,760

47.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$1,614 €1,390

27.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$7,114 €6,125

12.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$4,366 €3,759

3.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$3,450 €2,971

-52.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.83

-0.52%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Espoo: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $1,041 in Espoo. 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 112% higher in Espoo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon versus $103 in Espoo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $407 – 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 Espoo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Espoo is pricier by about 1%, 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 $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $3,359 in Espoo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,217 in Lisbon and $2,239 in Espoo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,217, than in Espoo at $2,239. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Espoo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – 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 Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Espoo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.