Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Nuuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Nuuk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,537 in Nuuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $4,108 in Nuuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $5,680 in Nuuk.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 10% less than in Nuuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Nuuk 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$15.79 DKK 103

2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$80.4 DKK 526

-21.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$15.45 DKK 101

-33.20%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$6.81 DKK 44.56

-58.44%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.82 DKK 18.45

-18.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$3.43 DKK 22.47

-53.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$9.94 DKK 65.0

-65.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$7.99 DKK 52.3

-49.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$2.79 DKK 18.22

-60.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.87 DKK 25.34

-54.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.94 DKK 25.75

-55.33%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.89 DKK 31.96

-35.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$37.78 DKK 247

-65.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$24.83 DKK 162

-67.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$15.80 DKK 103

-1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.92 DKK 25.61

-39.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$4.56 DKK 29.85

-62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.07 DKK 20.10

-34.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.81 DKK 24.94

-36.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.40 DKK 22.27

-48.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.41 DKK 22.28

-40.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$4.56 DKK 29.85

-57.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$3.02 DKK 19.72

-71.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$10.10 DKK 66.1

-34.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$23.98 DKK 157

-76.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$6.02 DKK 39.38

-77.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.05 DKK 19.95

-2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.32 DKK 21.75

-31.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$88.6 DKK 579

-48.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$5.61 DKK 36.67

-24.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$7.64 DKK 49.96

141.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.04 DKK 6.79

100.00%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

$229 DKK 1,499

-35.42%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$62.3 DKK 408

-67.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$157 DKK 1,026

-74.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$55.9 DKK 366

-14.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$18.26 DKK 119

-49.51%

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

$616 €539

$591 DKK 3,863

4.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$1,171 DKK 7,658

39.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$915 DKK 5,985

34.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$2,612 DKK 17.1K

18.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$2,400 DKK 15.7K

-15.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$3,538 DKK 23.1K

121.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$4,718 DKK 30.9K

-6.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$5,018 DKK 32.8K

-67.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.71

-19.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Nuuk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,171 in Nuuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuuk pays 212% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $80.0 in Nuuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $621 per month, with Lisbon 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 Nuuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Nuuk differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,537 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 212% lower in Nuuk. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,171 in Nuuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $591 in Nuuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Nuuk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,537 in Nuuk, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Nuuk. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Nuuk 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Nuuk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.