Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Vasteras Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Vasteras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,847 in Vasteras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,840 in Vasteras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,834 in Vasteras.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 24% more expensive than in Vasteras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Vasteras 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$14.33 SEK 141

22.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$66.8 SEK 658

-5.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$10.18 SEK 100

13.75%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.37 SEK 43.09

-29.06%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.30 SEK 22.63

8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.25 SEK 22.21

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$7.14 SEK 70.3

-51.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$7.03 SEK 69.3

-51.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.43 SEK 14.12

-19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.97 SEK 29.32

-35.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$3.75 SEK 36.93

-60.00%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$4.02 SEK 39.62

-1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$12.44 SEK 123

6.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$12.88 SEK 127

-37.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$22.62 SEK 223

-20.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.11 SEK 30.69

-24.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.52 SEK 24.86

-30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.72 SEK 36.66

-50.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$4.01 SEK 39.51

-36.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.52 SEK 14.98

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.78 SEK 17.49

17.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.24 SEK 22.08

-33.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.49 SEK 14.63

-44.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$7.32 SEK 72.1

-3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$12.37 SEK 122

-52.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.35 SEK 13.30

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.24 SEK 22.10

-4.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$3.45 SEK 33.97

-31.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$74.0 SEK 729

-36.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.51 SEK 34.56

16.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.86 SEK 28.23

-60.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$81.0 SEK 798

-78.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.71 SEK 16.89

35.09%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$34.2K SEK 337.1K

-0.25%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$33.8K SEK 332.9K

22.48%

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

$169 €147

$188 SEK 1,856

-10.53%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$22.71 SEK 224

-14.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$44.10 SEK 435

-24.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$34.55 SEK 341

41.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$20.65 SEK 203

-5.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$16.81 SEK 166

-43.07%

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

$696 €607

$152 SEK 1,499

357.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,101 SEK 50.3K

240.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$106 SEK 1,047

-0.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$40.51 SEK 399

17.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$89.9 SEK 885

11.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$140 SEK 1,379

-11.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$766 SEK 7,548

116.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$605 SEK 5,964

105.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,403 SEK 13.8K

111.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,058 SEK 10.4K

93.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$3,672 SEK 36.2K

113.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$2,554 SEK 25.2K

74.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$3,069 SEK 30.2K

-46.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.53

7.08%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Vasteras: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $766 in Vasteras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vasteras pays 88% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $67.0 in Vasteras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $381 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 Vasteras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Vasteras differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,847 including rent). Vasteras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in Vasteras. 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $766 in Vasteras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $152 in Vasteras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,847 in Vasteras versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vasteras but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Vasteras 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 Vasteras 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 Vasteras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.