Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sandefjord

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $2,549 in Sandefjord, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. The total is higher in Sandefjord despite lower rent and utilities.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Sandefjord
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,549
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Sandefjord

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Sandefjord actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,549 in Sandefjord.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Sandefjord $2,549

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $3,748 in Sandefjord.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Sandefjord $3,748

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $4,948 in Sandefjord.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Sandefjord $4,948

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 13% less than in Sandefjord, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Sandefjord 89% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$20.53 NOK 193
-19.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$125 NOK 1,179
-51.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$15.78 NOK 149
-28.58%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$5.68 NOK 53.4
-46.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$4.17 NOK 39.30
-45.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$2.15 NOK 20.19
-19.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$10.05 NOK 94.6
-66.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$10.31 NOK 97.1
-67.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.12 NOK 19.97
-47.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.57 NOK 24.18
-27.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$4.14 NOK 38.93
-63.04%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$4.08 NOK 38.44
-2.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$14.78 NOK 139
-13.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$15.66 NOK 147
-49.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$30.89 NOK 291
-45.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.15 NOK 20.27
5.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.68 NOK 25.27
-34.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.18 NOK 20.56
-15.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$2.85 NOK 26.80
-9.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.12 NOK 10.50
66.07%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$2.68 NOK 25.26
-24.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$3.09 NOK 29.09
-53.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$2.38 NOK 22.36
-65.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$15.81 NOK 149
-58.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$13.05 NOK 123
-56.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$3.53 NOK 33.21
-63.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$4.14 NOK 39.00
-50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$5.10 NOK 47.96
-53.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$66.5 NOK 626
-33.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$11.71 NOK 110
-65.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.78 NOK 16.76
-38.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$48.90 NOK 460
-65.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.25 NOK 21.22
1.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$47.4K NOK 446.0K
-28.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$41.6K NOK 391.8K
-5.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$264 NOK 2,487
-36.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$33.62 NOK 317
-44.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$54.0 NOK 508
-38.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$50.5 NOK 475
-8.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$56.9 NOK 535
-66.26%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$15.54 NOK 146
-36.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$232 NOK 2,186
191.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$4,887 NOK 46.0K
246.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$101 NOK 949
0.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$44.41 NOK 418
3.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$80.0 NOK 753
25.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$153 NOK 1,443
-19.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$1,213 NOK 11.4K
33.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$1,015 NOK 9,556
17.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$1,539 NOK 14.5K
85.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,339 NOK 12.6K
48.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$6,273 NOK 59.1K
20.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$3,696 NOK 34.8K
16.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Sandefjord
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$3,976 NOK 37.4K
-60.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.38
-12.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sandefjord: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Sandefjord
$1K 15.2% $182
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Sandefjord
$447 65.8% $177
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Sandefjord
$376 55.2% $134
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Sandefjord
$352 60.4% $132
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Sandefjord
$170 2.4% $3.9
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Sandefjord
$82 24.2% $16
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Sandefjord
$107 70.6% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $1,213 in Sandefjord. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandefjord pays 150% 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: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $125 in Sandefjord for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $447 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇴 Sandefjord
🕒 Local time
21:59 9:59 PM
22:59 10:59 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
66,366
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Sandefjord 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Sandefjord

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sandefjord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Sandefjord?
Lisbon and Sandefjord differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $2,549 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 150% lower in Sandefjord. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Sandefjord?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,213 in Sandefjord. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Sandefjord?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $232 in Sandefjord. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Sandefjord. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,549 in Sandefjord, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Sandefjord. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Sandefjord?
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.
Is Lisbon or Sandefjord safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Sandefjord are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Sandefjord?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Sandefjord. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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