Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Karlovac Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Karlovac

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,234 in Karlovac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,857 in Karlovac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,480 in Karlovac.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 79% more expensive than Karlovac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Karlovac is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$12.81 €11.02

24.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$46.57 €40.06

39.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.15 €7.01

28.96%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.94 €1.67

47.94%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.40 €2.06

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.36 €1.17

10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.30 €1.98

51.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.33 €2.00

66.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.15 €0.99

52.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.90 €1.63

-7.37%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.48 €2.99

-7.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.10 €8.68

33.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$11.77 €10.13

-32.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$14.07 €12.10

12.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.75 €1.51

32.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.06 €1.77

-17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.72 €1.48

16.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.07 €1.78

18.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.61 €1.38

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.05 €0.91

90.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.79 €1.54

7.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.02 €0.87

-22.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$5.37 €4.62

23.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$6.78 €5.83

-15.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.78 €1.53

-23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.64 €2.27

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.81 €1.56

30.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$43.56 €37.47

4.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.03 €2.61

41.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.38 €1.19

-40.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$9.20 €7.91

98.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.72 €1.48

19.77%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.4K €32.2K

-8.32%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$25.6K €22.1K

53.24%

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

$148 €127

$187 €161

-20.84%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$22.91 €19.71

-10.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$32.65 €28.09

21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$34.64 €29.80

38.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$14.78 €12.72

28.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.41 €5.52

43.21%

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

$614 €528

$243 €209

153.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,397 €1,202

1048.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$106 €91.3

-1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$34.57 €29.74

21.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$70.5 €60.6

33.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$76.7 €66.0

56.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$419 €360

288.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$333 €287

276.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$647 €557

368.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$474 €408

326.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$2,965 €2,550

163.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$2,550 €2,193

67.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,440 €1,239

11.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.47

-14.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Karlovac: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $419 in Karlovac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $47.00 in Karlovac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $268 per month, with Karlovac cheaper across the board.

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 Karlovac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlovac is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $419 in Karlovac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,234 in Karlovac – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karlovac runs roughly 5% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,234 in Karlovac versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karlovac but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Karlovac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karlovac is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Karlovac are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Karlovac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.