Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Varkaus Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Varkaus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,654 in Varkaus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,573 in Varkaus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,491 in Varkaus.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 39% more expensive than in Varkaus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Varkaus 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$11.72 €10.26

38.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$78.7 €68.9

-19.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$9.24 €8.09

11.69%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.49 €3.93

-36.97%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$3.17 €2.77

-27.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.65 €1.45

-4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$7.10 €6.22

-52.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$7.69 €6.74

-47.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.06 €0.93

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.03 €1.78

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.28 €2.00

-22.81%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.42 €2.12

30.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$7.44 €6.52

77.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$12.28 €10.76

-35.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$17.24 €15.10

-9.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.20 €1.92

7.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.88 €1.65

-9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.03 €2.65

-33.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.80 €3.33

-36.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.88 €0.77

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.54 €1.35

31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.08 €1.82

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.52 €1.33

-44.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$9.51 €8.33

-30.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$13.74 €12.03

-59.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.24 €1.96

-40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.76 €3.29

-21.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.49 €3.06

-34.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$65.4 €57.3

-30.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$6.73 €5.90

-37.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.55 €1.35

-47.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$46.86 €41.04

-60.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.05 €1.80

1.46%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$28.3K €24.8K

22.54%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$27.9K €24.5K

40.21%

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

$148 €130

$86.5 €75.8

71.16%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$29.50 €25.83

-30.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$18.31 €16.04

116.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$43.21 €37.85

11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$24.10 €21.11

-22.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$11.35 €9.94

-18.77%

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

$616 €540

$334 €292

84.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,582 €4,013

258.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$99.4 €87.0

3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$29.99 €26.27

39.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$85.0 €74.4

11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$121 €106

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$776 €679

110.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$635 €556

94.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,299 €1,137

138.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,041 €911

95.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$3,983 €3,488

96.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$2,177 €1,906

101.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

1.9

100.53%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Varkaus: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $776 in Varkaus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $79.0 in Varkaus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $317 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 Varkaus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Varkaus differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,654 including rent). Varkaus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $2,481 in Varkaus to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $776 in Varkaus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $334 in Varkaus. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,654 in Varkaus versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Varkaus but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Varkaus 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 Varkaus 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 Varkaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.