Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Molde versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,697 in Molde versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,952 in Molde versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Molde is roughly 6% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 79% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 NOK 288

$17.59 €15.32

73.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 NOK 808

$62.9 €54.8

36.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 NOK 150

$11.58 €10.09

37.65%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.70

$3.10 €2.70

66.77%

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

$3.29 NOK 31.01

$2.49 €2.17

32.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.70

$1.74 €1.52

105.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 NOK 110

$3.48 €3.03

235.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 99.2

$3.44 €3.00

205.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.13 NOK 29.46

$1.15 €1.00

172.17%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 NOK 39.85

$1.91 €1.66

121.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 NOK 38.69

$1.50 €1.31

174.00%

Eggs

$5.24 NOK 49.35

$3.98 €3.47

31.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.57 NOK 175

$13.29 €11.58

39.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 151

$8.01 €6.98

100.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.76

$2.35 €2.05

48.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.89

$1.75 €1.52

87.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 28.97

$1.85 €1.62

66.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 NOK 46.41

$2.55 €2.22

93.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.80

$1.84 €1.61

42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.88

$2.10 €1.83

15.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.05

$1.49 €1.29

85.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.59 NOK 194

$7.10 €6.18

190.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.72 NOK 223

$5.91 €5.15

301.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 NOK 39.25

$1.31 €1.15

218.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 NOK 77.1

$2.13 €1.86

284.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.20 NOK 48.98

$2.36 €2.05

120.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 798

$46.62 €40.61

81.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.35 NOK 154

$4.08 €3.55

300.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.75

$2.31 €2.01

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

$34.1K €29.7K

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

$41.4K €36.0K

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

$169 €147

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

$21.65 NOK 204

$19.33 €16.84

12.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 NOK 795

$33.51 €29.20

151.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 NOK 563

$48.84 €42.55

22.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$18.95 NOK 178

$9.57 €8.34

98.01%

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

$214 NOK 2,013

$696 €606

-69.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 NOK 1,060

$105 €91.7

6.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 NOK 1,305

$101 €87.6

37.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,529

$124 €108

30.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

$1,662 €1,448

-22.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 NOK 9,241

$1,246 €1,086

-21.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

$2,965 €2,583

-35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

$2,049 €1,785

-18.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

$1,632 €1,421

166.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

3.78

26.98%

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

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Molde and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Molde pays 167% 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: $86.0 in Molde vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $277 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

Molde vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde and Lisbon differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,442 vs $2,296 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 167% higher in Molde, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,288 in Molde versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $214 in Molde versus $696 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Molde. 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, Molde 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.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Molde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.