Cost of Living Comparison Between Nuuk and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Nuuk and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,526 in Nuuk versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,146 in Nuuk versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,767 in Nuuk versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Nuuk is roughly 14% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nuuk 88% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 DKK 98.1

$15.91 €13.69

-4.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 DKK 533

$64.8 €55.7

27.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.56 DKK 100

$10.51 €9.04

48.05%

Cappuccino

$6.84 DKK 43.98

$2.87 €2.47

138.33%

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

$2.83 DKK 18.18

$2.24 €1.93

26.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 DKK 22.69

$1.50 €1.29

135.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.15 DKK 65.3

$3.49 €3.00

190.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 DKK 51.2

$3.88 €3.34

105.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.88 DKK 18.49

$1.14 €0.98

152.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 DKK 24.72

$1.75 €1.51

119.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 DKK 24.58

$1.76 €1.51

117.05%

Eggs

$4.87 DKK 31.30

$3.22 €2.77

51.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.41 DKK 241

$13.49 €11.61

177.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.65 DKK 159

$7.91 €6.81

211.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.82 DKK 102

$15.87 €13.65

-0.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 DKK 24.65

$2.31 €1.99

65.80%

Banana (1kg)

$4.51 DKK 29.00

$1.70 €1.46

165.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 DKK 19.56

$2.01 €1.73

51.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 DKK 25.29

$2.46 €2.12

59.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 DKK 21.97

$1.84 €1.59

85.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 DKK 21.93

$2.00 €1.72

70.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.64 DKK 29.83

$1.93 €1.66

140.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 DKK 20.30

$0.79 €0.68

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.28 DKK 66.1

$6.61 €5.68

55.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.46 DKK 157

$5.72 €4.92

327.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.05 DKK 38.90

$1.37 €1.17

341.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 DKK 19.85

$2.97 €2.56

4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 DKK 20.37

$2.37 €2.04

33.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 DKK 562

$45.56 €39.19

91.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 DKK 35.38

$4.29 €3.69

28.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 DKK 50.6

$18.30 €15.74

-56.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 DKK 6.98

$2.06 €1.78

-47.09%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$234 DKK 1,507

$148 €127

58.52%

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

$63.0 DKK 405

$20.52 €17.65

207.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$154 DKK 992

$39.61 €34.08

289.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 DKK 371

$47.85 €41.16

20.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$18.50 DKK 119

$9.18 €7.90

101.53%

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

$578 DKK 3,716

$614 €528

-5.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 DKK 7,652

$1,628 €1,400

-26.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 DKK 6,047

$1,255 €1,080

-25.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 DKK 16.3K

$3,030 €2,607

-16.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 DKK 15.2K

$2,020 €1,738

16.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,645 DKK 23.4K

$7,800 €6,709

-53.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,696 DKK 30.2K

$4,273 €3,675

9.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,101 DKK 32.8K

$1,603 €1,379

218.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

3.81

23.62%

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

Last update for Nuuk: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,190 in Nuuk and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuuk pays 218% 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: $83.0 in Nuuk vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $622 vs $269 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

Nuuk vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nuuk and Lisbon differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,526 vs $2,210 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Nuuk pays 218% more on average, 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: $1,190 in Nuuk versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $578 in Nuuk versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 131% higher in Nuuk. 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, Nuuk 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 14% less than in Nuuk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.