Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Torshavn Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Torshavn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,613 in Torshavn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $4,059 in Torshavn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $5,505 in Torshavn.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 11% less than in Torshavn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Torshavn 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$27.35 FOK 176

-36.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$158 FOK 1,020

-59.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$19.85 FOK 128

-42.62%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$7.24 FOK 46.71

-55.94%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$3.42 FOK 22.07

-28.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.80 FOK 18.08

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$9.42 FOK 60.7

-61.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$9.22 FOK 59.5

-63.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$2.32 FOK 14.97

-46.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$5.10 FOK 32.87

-61.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$3.06 FOK 19.71

-50.33%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$6.45 FOK 41.63

-37.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$17.16 FOK 111

-21.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$14.67 FOK 94.6

-42.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$18.51 FOK 119

-1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$4.11 FOK 26.50

-44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$5.79 FOK 37.35

-69.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$6.12 FOK 39.45

-69.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$5.23 FOK 33.71

-49.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.72 FOK 23.99

-48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$4.83 FOK 31.18

-56.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$3.38 FOK 21.82

-57.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$3.81 FOK 24.55

-77.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$11.86 FOK 76.5

-42.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$13.79 FOK 88.9

-58.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$4.13 FOK 26.65

-66.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$3.09 FOK 19.92

-28.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$31.50 FOK 203

48.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$15.52 FOK 100

-73.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.79 FOK 11.54

29.61%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.6K

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

$170 €146

$134 FOK 862

27.45%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$45.04 FOK 291

-57.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$93.4 FOK 602

-63.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$57.4 FOK 370

-16.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$16.84 FOK 109

-41.09%

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

$717 €617

$506 FOK 3,263

41.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$146 FOK 939

-28.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$62.4 FOK 403

-24.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$171 FOK 1,100

-39.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$253 FOK 1,634

-51.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$1,143 FOK 7,374

46.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$915 FOK 5,899

38.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$1,906 FOK 12.3K

56.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$1,441 FOK 9,291

38.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$4,741 FOK 30.6K

65.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$4,729 FOK 30.5K

-1.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$3,361 FOK 21.7K

-52.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Torshavn: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $1,143 in Torshavn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torshavn pays 112% 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 $158 in Torshavn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $533 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 Torshavn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Torshavn differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $2,613 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 112% lower in Torshavn. 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $1,143 in Torshavn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $506 in Torshavn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Torshavn. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Torshavn 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 13% less than in Torshavn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.