Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Helsingborg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Helsingborg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $1,868 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $2,903 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $3,939 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 24% more than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Helsingborg sit above the global median – Lisbon by 69%, Helsingborg by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$15.51 SEK 148

11.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$74.1 SEK 709

-14.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$14.50 SEK 139

-21.45%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$4.79 SEK 45.86

-33.40%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$2.96 SEK 28.27

-17.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.62 SEK 25.06

-32.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$7.73 SEK 73.9

-53.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$6.60 SEK 63.2

-48.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.47 SEK 14.09

-15.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.96 SEK 28.34

-33.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$3.18 SEK 30.45

-52.20%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$4.79 SEK 45.84

-15.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$11.54 SEK 110

17.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$11.37 SEK 109

-26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$15.54 SEK 149

17.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.90 SEK 27.77

-21.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$3.12 SEK 29.82

-44.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$3.23 SEK 30.91

-42.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$4.25 SEK 40.64

-38.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.47 SEK 14.07

30.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.61 SEK 15.39

29.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.92 SEK 18.40

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.88 SEK 17.98

-55.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$8.96 SEK 85.7

-24.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$9.51 SEK 91.0

-39.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.51 SEK 23.97

-45.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.68 SEK 25.60

-17.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$3.42 SEK 32.73

-29.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$65.4 SEK 626

-28.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$5.35 SEK 51.2

-78.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.84 SEK 17.61

26.09%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$34.2K SEK 327.3K

3.26%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$34.1K SEK 326.6K

21.40%

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

$170 €147

$149 SEK 1,428

14.12%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$27.90 SEK 267

-30.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$33.93 SEK 325

-0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$39.77 SEK 380

20.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$23.28 SEK 223

-14.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$15.62 SEK 149

-36.49%

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

$717 €617

$180 SEK 1,721

298.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$82.8 SEK 792

26.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$45.24 SEK 433

3.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$93.0 SEK 890

11.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$114 SEK 1,092

8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$872 SEK 8,337

92.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$665 SEK 6,363

91.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$1,395 SEK 13.3K

113.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$1,132 SEK 10.8K

76.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$3,141 SEK 30.0K

149.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$2,387 SEK 22.8K

95.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$3,032 SEK 29.0K

-47.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.93

-3.56%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $872 in Helsingborg. 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 92% higher in Helsingborg, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $74.0 in Helsingborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $357 – 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 Helsingborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon, $1,868 in Helsingborg – roughly 24% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $2,802 in Helsingborg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 40% less in Helsingborg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $717 per month in Lisbon and $180 in Helsingborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Helsingborg, where all-in costs run around $1,868, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Helsingborg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,868 in Helsingborg to $2,316 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Helsingborg. 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.