Cost of Living Comparison Between Lulea and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lulea and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,919 in Lulea versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,101 in Lulea versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,283 in Lulea versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Lulea costs roughly 17% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lulea 40% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.44 SEK 120
$17.30 €14.93
-28.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.1 SEK 954
$63.3 €54.6
56.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.59 SEK 112
$11.39 €9.83
1.76%
Cappuccino
$4.58 SEK 44.07
$3.19 €2.75
43.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 SEK 25.39
$2.45 €2.11
7.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 SEK 18.94
$1.76 €1.52
11.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.32 SEK 89.8
$3.59 €3.10
159.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.80 SEK 94.4
$3.39 €2.93
189.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 SEK 18.01
$1.24 €1.07
50.81%
White Bread (500g)
$3.43 SEK 33.03
$1.98 €1.71
73.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.91 SEK 47.27
$1.52 €1.31
223.03%
Eggs
$4.67 SEK 44.95
$4.04 €3.49
15.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.63 SEK 122
$13.54 €11.68
-6.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.62 SEK 131
$8.39 €7.24
62.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.73 SEK 267
$18.25 €15.75
51.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.66 SEK 25.59
$2.29 €1.98
16.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.82 SEK 27.20
$1.74 €1.50
62.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.50 SEK 24.06
$1.86 €1.60
34.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.35 SEK 41.88
$2.63 €2.27
65.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 SEK 21.40
$1.92 €1.65
15.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 SEK 14.95
$2.09 €1.81
-25.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.44 SEK 33.16
$1.44 €1.24
138.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 SEK 12.37
$0.84 €0.73
52.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.17 SEK 69.1
$6.78 €5.85
5.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.68 SEK 122
$5.71 €4.93
122.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 SEK 18.14
$1.38 €1.19
36.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 SEK 17.71
$2.22 €1.91
-17.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.42 SEK 32.96
$2.40 €2.07
42.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.6 SEK 555
$46.78 €40.37
23.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.51 SEK 91.6
$4.17 €3.60
128.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.25 SEK 21.67
$1.14 €0.98
97.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$71.9 SEK 693
$17.68 €15.26
306.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 SEK 16.98
$2.32 €2.01
-24.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K SEK 322.7K
$35.3K €30.5K
-5.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K SEK 344.4K
$41.4K €35.8K
-13.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$173 SEK 1,663
$170 €147
1.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.34 SEK 312
$19.34 €16.69
67.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.89 SEK 269
$33.64 €29.03
-17.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.35 SEK 475
$48.10 €41.50
2.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.98 SEK 356
$19.90 €17.17
85.83%
Cinema Ticket
$13.46 SEK 130
$9.92 €8.56
35.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$161 SEK 1,552
$717 €619
-77.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,808 SEK 55.9K
$17.5K €15.1K
-66.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$123 SEK 1,182
$105 €90.4
17.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.18 SEK 329
$46.95 €40.51
-27.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 SEK 1,211
$103 €89.2
21.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$166 SEK 1,599
$124 €107
33.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$806 SEK 7,766
$1,677 €1,447
-51.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$600 SEK 5,775
$1,271 €1,097
-52.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,533 SEK 14.8K
$2,985 €2,575
-48.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,151 SEK 11.1K
$1,992 €1,719
-42.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,240 SEK 31.2K
$7,826 €6,753
-58.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,346 SEK 22.6K
$4,658 €4,019
-49.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lulea
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,633 SEK 25.4K
$1,583 €1,366
66.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.79
1.58%

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

Last update for Lulea: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $806 in Lulea and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lulea pays 66% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Lulea vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $420 vs $283 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
Lulea vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lulea and in Lisbon?
Lulea and Lisbon differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,919 vs $2,316 including rent). Lulea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lulea or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 66% higher in Lulea, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lulea and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $806 in Lulea versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lulea and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $161 in Lulea versus $717 in Lisbon. 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 49% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,919 in Lulea versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lulea but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Lulea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lulea and Lisbon?
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 Lulea or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lulea and Lisbon 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: Lulea or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lulea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lulea vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities