Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Halmstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Halmstad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $1,756 in Halmstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $2,709 in Halmstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $3,663 in Halmstad, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 27% more than Halmstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Halmstad sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Halmstad by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$13.73 SEK 128

17.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$74.5 SEK 693

-13.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$10.60 SEK 98.6

-2.08%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$4.85 SEK 45.13

-42.89%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$3.00 SEK 27.87

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.39 SEK 22.23

-34.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$7.17 SEK 66.7

-51.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$6.36 SEK 59.2

-37.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.52 SEK 14.14

-28.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.62 SEK 24.34

-33.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.30 SEK 30.73

-47.27%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.53 SEK 32.85

-9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$11.41 SEK 106

17.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$9.42 SEK 87.6

-15.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$19.04 SEK 177

-15.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.15 SEK 29.31

-27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.70 SEK 25.14

-36.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.89 SEK 26.84

-32.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$4.31 SEK 40.11

-41.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.59 SEK 14.80

15.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.60 SEK 14.92

27.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$2.10 SEK 19.49

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.91 SEK 8.48

-6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$6.79 SEK 63.2

0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$11.53 SEK 107

-49.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.24 SEK 20.85

-38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.51 SEK 23.32

15.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.99 SEK 27.85

-23.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$69.0 SEK 642

-32.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$5.15 SEK 47.90

-20.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.60 SEK 14.85

-48.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$42.50 SEK 395

-57.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.88 SEK 17.46

6.91%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$23.5K SEK 218.7K

49.94%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$21.5K SEK 199.9K

79.05%

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

$145 €124

$140 SEK 1,301

3.92%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$25.51 SEK 237

-17.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$37.34 SEK 347

7.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$39.40 SEK 366

23.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$25.11 SEK 234

-25.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$17.12 SEK 159

-47.08%

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

$607 €519

$161 SEK 1,496

277.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$4,096 SEK 38.1K

298.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$88.0 SEK 819

18.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$36.77 SEK 342

11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$96.5 SEK 897

-2.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$157 SEK 1,456

-24.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$613 SEK 5,700

161.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$582 SEK 5,416

112.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,160 SEK 10.8K

162.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,026 SEK 9,545

100.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$4,606 SEK 42.8K

67.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$2,533 SEK 23.6K

-37.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.9

-2.31%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Halmstad: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $613 in Halmstad. 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 60% higher in Halmstad, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $75.0 in Halmstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $339 – 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 Halmstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 27% more than Halmstad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $2,634 in Halmstad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $75.0 in Halmstad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Halmstad, where all-in costs run around $1,756, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Halmstad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Halmstad costs $1,756 versus $2,227 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Halmstad. 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.