Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Umea

For one person, living is cheaper in Umea: $1,646 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Umea, Sweden
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Umea
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,646
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Umea

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,646 in Umea.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Umea $1,646

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,615 in Umea.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Umea $2,615

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,583 in Umea.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Umea $3,583

Living in Lisbon is roughly 34% more expensive than in Umea.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Umea 21% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$14.95 SEK 147
11.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$79.0 SEK 775
-21.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$11.93 SEK 117
-4.78%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.96 SEK 38.85
-25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$3.15 SEK 30.92
-27.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.47 SEK 24.24
-29.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$8.62 SEK 84.6
-60.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$7.44 SEK 73.0
-55.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.74 SEK 17.09
-33.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$3.42 SEK 33.51
-44.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$4.09 SEK 40.16
-63.08%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$4.06 SEK 39.83
-0.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$11.38 SEK 112
13.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$10.74 SEK 105
-27.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$16.82 SEK 165
5.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.58 SEK 25.33
-10.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.18 SEK 21.36
-20.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.72 SEK 26.73
-31.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$4.30 SEK 42.19
-39.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.65 SEK 16.17
10.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.69 SEK 16.56
16.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.49 SEK 24.43
-40.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.33 SEK 13.01
-45.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$7.09 SEK 69.6
-7.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$10.19 SEK 100
-44.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.31 SEK 22.64
-41.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.44 SEK 23.95
-12.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.89 SEK 28.36
-19.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$57.8 SEK 567
-22.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$7.08 SEK 69.5
-45.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$4.99 SEK 48.92
-78.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.68 SEK 16.47
30.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$33.8K SEK 331.7K
1.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$33.2K SEK 325.8K
16.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$84.7 SEK 831
90.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$32.54 SEK 319
-43.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$27.49 SEK 270
19.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$48.29 SEK 474
-7.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$35.41 SEK 347
-46.06%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$16.40 SEK 161
-41.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$139 SEK 1,368
378.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$99.7 SEK 978
2.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$37.16 SEK 365
19.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$119 SEK 1,166
-17.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$141 SEK 1,379
-12.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$742 SEK 7,280
116.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$505 SEK 4,957
135.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$1,104 SEK 10.8K
154.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$842 SEK 8,263
139.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$4,640 SEK 45.5K
68.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$3,050 SEK 29.9K
50.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Umea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,692 SEK 26.4K
-41.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.65
5.48%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Umea: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Umea
$505 57.6% $685
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Umea
$352 29.2% $79
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Umea
$283 16.8% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Umea
$145 31.8% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Umea
$178 7.5% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Umea
$81 27.2% $17
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Umea
$101 60.4% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $742 in Umea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umea pays 71% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $79 in Umea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $352 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇸🇪 Umea
🕒 Local time
20:13 8:13 PM
21:13 9:13 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
79,594
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Umea 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Umea

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 Umea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Lisbon. 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 Umea?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $742 in Umea. 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 Umea?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $139 in Umea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $2,500 go in Lisbon compared to Umea?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Umea gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Umea?
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 Umea safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Umea are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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