Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rakvere Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rakvere

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,103 in Rakvere.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,671 in Rakvere.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,240 in Rakvere.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 108% more expensive than in Rakvere, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Rakvere is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$11.51 €10.03

52.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$66.6 €58.0

-5.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.50 €10.02

0.70%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.94 €3.44

-21.32%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.47 €2.15

0.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.63 €1.42

6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$5.72 €4.99

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.66 €4.06

-26.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.66 €0.57

74.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.91 €1.67

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.38 €2.07

-36.97%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.03 €1.77

96.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$13.20 €11.51

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.83 €5.96

17.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$4.68 €4.08

285.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.18 €1.90

7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.44 €1.25

21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.15 €1.87

-13.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.44 €2.13

4.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.78 €0.68

135.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.59 €0.52

255.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.88 €1.64

-20.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.24 €1.08

-33.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$6.88 €6.00

3.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$10.71 €9.34

-44.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.10 €1.83

-37.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.50 €2.18

-14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.74 €3.26

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.07 €0.93

6.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$27.24 €23.75

-37.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.98 €1.73

16.67%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$29.3K €25.5K

16.65%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$31.1K €27.1K

33.05%

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

$169 €147

$314 €274

-46.40%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$18.52 €16.14

4.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$34.87 €30.40

-3.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$56.9 €49.62

-14.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$23.02 €20.06

-15.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.21 €7.16

16.57%

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

$696 €607

$447 €389

55.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$12.0K €10.5K

44.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$113 €98.6

-6.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$50.0 €43.60

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$110 €96.2

-8.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$122 €106

2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$1,292 €1,127

26.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.93

-3.82%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Rakvere: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 26% 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 $67.0 in Rakvere. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $234, with Rakvere cheaper for home cooking.

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 Rakvere: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rakvere differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,103 including rent). Rakvere is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,103 in Rakvere – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,103 in Rakvere versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rakvere but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rakvere 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 Rakvere 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 Rakvere gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.