Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Stavanger

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $3,138 in Stavanger, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Stavanger
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,138
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Stavanger

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 Stavanger actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $3,138 in Stavanger.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Stavanger $3,138

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $4,570 in Stavanger.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Stavanger $4,570

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $6,002 in Stavanger.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Stavanger $6,002

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 29% less than in Stavanger, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Stavanger 132% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$24.72 NOK 233
-33.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$95.7 NOK 901
-36.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$15.96 NOK 150
-29.39%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$6.23 NOK 58.6
-50.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$5.20 NOK 48.94
-56.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$4.26 NOK 40.09
-59.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$13.68 NOK 129
-75.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$11.94 NOK 112
-71.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.44 NOK 22.95
-54.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$3.52 NOK 33.10
-47.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$3.85 NOK 36.29
-60.26%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$4.72 NOK 44.40
-16.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$14.37 NOK 135
-11.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$16.68 NOK 157
-52.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$35.66 NOK 336
-52.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.46 NOK 32.59
-34.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.78 NOK 26.19
-37.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$3.38 NOK 31.79
-45.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$4.92 NOK 46.33
-47.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.49 NOK 23.42
-25.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$2.98 NOK 28.05
-32.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.83 NOK 26.63
-49.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$2.35 NOK 22.09
-65.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$17.60 NOK 166
-62.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$18.73 NOK 176
-69.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$3.74 NOK 35.21
-65.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$4.42 NOK 41.58
-53.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$4.64 NOK 43.68
-49.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$84.1 NOK 792
-47.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$6.07 NOK 57.1
-34.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.70 NOK 16.01
-35.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$102 NOK 961
-83.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.43 NOK 22.85
-6.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$48.3K NOK 455.1K
-30.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$42.0K NOK 395.1K
-6.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$249 NOK 2,346
-32.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$34.59 NOK 326
-45.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$80.9 NOK 762
-59.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$50.2 NOK 473
-8.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$36.81 NOK 347
-47.87%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$21.38 NOK 201
-53.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$320 NOK 3,014
111.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$14.2K NOK 133.9K
18.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$126 NOK 1,183
-19.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$58.8 NOK 553
-22.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$149 NOK 1,406
-33.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$198 NOK 1,865
-38.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$1,697 NOK 16.0K
-4.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$1,356 NOK 12.8K
-11.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$2,735 NOK 25.7K
4.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$2,042 NOK 19.2K
-2.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$6,207 NOK 58.4K
22.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$5,292 NOK 49.8K
-18.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Stavanger
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$5,011 NOK 47.2K
-68.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.27
-26.94%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Stavanger
$1.4K 13.3% $159
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Stavanger
$517 92% $248
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Stavanger
$450 86% $208
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Stavanger
$365 66.3% $145
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Stavanger
$239 43.9% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Stavanger
$93 41.5% $27
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Stavanger
$117 86.1% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $1,697 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 216% 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 $96.0 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $517 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇴 Stavanger
🕒 Local time
23:56 11:56 PM
00:56 12:56 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
149,330
💱 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 Stavanger 2,490 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Stavanger

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 Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Stavanger?
Lisbon and Stavanger differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $3,138 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 216% lower in Stavanger. 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 Stavanger?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,697 in Stavanger. 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 Stavanger?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $320 in Stavanger. 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 92% higher in Stavanger. 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 $3,138 in Stavanger, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Stavanger. 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 Stavanger?
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 Stavanger safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Stavanger 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 Stavanger?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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