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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,666 in Halmstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $2,595 in Halmstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $3,524 in Halmstad, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 36% more than Halmstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Halmstad sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Halmstad by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$13.63 SEK 132

28.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$71.6 SEK 694

-9.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.81 SEK 115

-1.35%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.64 SEK 45.01

-29.74%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.94 SEK 28.45

-15.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.39 SEK 23.20

-30.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$7.12 SEK 69.0

-51.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$7.73 SEK 74.9

-53.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.49 SEK 14.40

-20.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.65 SEK 25.73

-26.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$3.17 SEK 30.74

-50.79%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.43 SEK 33.24

16.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$11.92 SEK 116

11.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$9.22 SEK 89.4

-8.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$17.16 SEK 166

6.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.24 SEK 31.41

-28.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.58 SEK 25.00

-32.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$3.16 SEK 30.66

-38.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.26 SEK 41.30

-38.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.52 SEK 14.77

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.54 SEK 14.90

37.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.04 SEK 19.74

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.98 SEK 9.55

-18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$6.64 SEK 64.3

5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$11.06 SEK 107

-46.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.21 SEK 21.46

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.25 SEK 21.84

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.85 SEK 27.63

-16.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$68.6 SEK 665

-32.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$6.33 SEK 61.3

-33.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.76 SEK 17.07

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$62.2 SEK 603

-72.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.81 SEK 17.58

24.31%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$34.0K SEK 329.9K

1.30%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$34.9K SEK 338.1K

19.33%

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

$171 €147

$110 SEK 1,066

55.39%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$19.76 SEK 192

-3.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$36.48 SEK 354

-6.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$36.77 SEK 356

35.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$17.35 SEK 168

-41.79%

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

$699 €603

$158 SEK 1,535

341.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$4,597 SEK 44.6K

286.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$92.2 SEK 894

13.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$34.01 SEK 330

41.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$94.0 SEK 911

8.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$137 SEK 1,329

-6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$597 SEK 5,789

178.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$581 SEK 5,631

111.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,125 SEK 10.9K

159.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,025 SEK 9,937

97.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$4,455 SEK 43.2K

82.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$2,357 SEK 22.9K

-31.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.06

23.53%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Halmstad: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $597 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 46% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $72.0 in Halmstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $332 – 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 36% 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 $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $2,500 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 18% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon and $72.0 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 $1,666, than in Lisbon at $2,268. 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 $1,666 versus $2,268 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.