Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kuressaare Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kuressaare

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,468 in Kuressaare, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,166 in Kuressaare, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,865 in Kuressaare, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 51% more than Kuressaare, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lisbon and Kuressaare sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Kuressaare by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$14.09 €12.13

12.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$68.6 €59.1

-5.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$9.45 €8.14

11.22%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.79 €3.27

-24.27%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.47 €2.13

-9.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.75 €2.37

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$5.18 €4.46

-32.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.88 €5.06

-34.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.27 €1.10

-10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.47 €1.27

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.39 €2.06

-26.36%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.84 €2.45

13.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$12.29 €10.58

9.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.78 €7.56

-9.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$11.33 €9.76

40.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.89 €1.62

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.64 €1.41

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.37 €2.04

-15.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.40 €2.06

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.00 €0.86

84.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.14 €0.98

75.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.05 €1.77

-5.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.05 €0.90

-24.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.55 €5.64

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$10.54 €9.07

-45.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.95 €1.68

-29.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.17 €1.87

36.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.25 €1.94

5.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$29.10 €25.06

56.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.35 €2.88

28.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.75 €0.64

9.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$20.39 €17.56

-10.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.95 €1.68

5.64%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$29.0K €25.0K

18.17%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$30.8K €26.5K

27.76%

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

$148 €127

$273 €235

-45.77%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$11.49 €9.90

78.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$35.47 €30.55

11.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$34.19 €29.44

39.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$11.58 €9.97

-20.73%

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

$614 €529

$117 €101

424.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$8,078 €6,956

98.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$119 €102

-12.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$39.46 €33.98

6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$101 €86.6

-6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$109 €93.6

10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$531 €457

206.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$352 €303

256.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$686 €591

341.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$518 €446

290.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$4,236 €3,648

84.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,582 €2,223

65.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$1,354 €1,166

18.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.3

-11.40%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kuressaare: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $531 in Kuressaare. 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 18% higher in Lisbon, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $69.0 in Kuressaare. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Lisbon vs $265 in Kuressaare – so Kuressaare wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kuressaare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,201 in Kuressaare. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuressaare, 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,468 in Kuressaare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Kuressaare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuressaare, where all-in costs run around $1,468, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Kuressaare it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuressaare – 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 Kuressaare. 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.