Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rakvere and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Rakvere: $993 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rakvere
🇪🇪 Estonia
$993
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rakvere and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rakvere and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $993 in Rakvere versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Rakvere $993
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,521 in Rakvere versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Rakvere $1,521
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,049 in Rakvere versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Rakvere $2,049
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Rakvere costs roughly 55% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rakvere is 26% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.22 €9.98
$16.50 €14.67
-32.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.4 €57.3
$61.3 €54.5
5.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.96 €9.75
$11.27 €10.03
-2.75%
Cappuccino
$3.79 €3.37
$3.06 €2.72
23.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 €2.06
$2.26 €2.01
2.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.73 €1.54
-9.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.68 €5.06
$3.39 €3.02
67.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 €4.05
$3.40 €3.02
33.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 €0.61
$1.12 €1.00
-39.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.86 €1.65
2.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.53 €1.36
55.56%
Eggs
$1.92 €1.71
$3.96 €3.53
-51.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.54 €11.16
$12.76 €11.35
-1.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.64 €5.91
$7.90 €7.02
-15.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.40 €3.91
$16.97 €15.09
-74.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$2.27 €2.02
-7.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.75 €1.55
-16.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 €1.85
$1.85 €1.64
12.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 €2.08
$2.57 €2.28
-8.95%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 €0.67
$1.86 €1.65
-59.14%
Onion (1kg)
$0.54 €0.48
$2.02 €1.80
-73.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.44 €1.28
26.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 €1.10
$0.82 €0.73
51.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.75 €6.00
$6.56 €5.83
2.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.34 €9.20
$5.62 €5.00
83.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.28 €1.14
57.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 €2.08
$2.07 €1.84
12.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.35 €2.09
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.18 €39.30
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.60 €3.20
$3.99 €3.55
-9.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.98 €0.87
$1.09 €0.97
-10.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.88 €23.91
$16.64 €14.81
61.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.77
$2.28 €2.03
-12.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K €25.0K
$33.7K €30.0K
-16.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K €26.8K
$39.3K €35.0K
-23.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$303 €269
$167 €149
80.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.52 €15.59
$18.80 €16.72
-6.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.04 €31.17
$33.09 €29.43
5.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$46.01 €40.93
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.19 €17.07
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.94 €4.40
$9.84 €8.75
-49.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$428 €380
$677 €602
-36.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K €10.4K
$16.9K €15.1K
-31.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €95.7
$101 €90.1
6.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.83 €43.44
$45.76 €40.70
6.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 €94.8
$100.0 €88.9
6.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 €104
$123 €109
-4.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,614 €1,436
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,197 €1,065
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,862 €2,545
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,990 €1,770
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,577 €6,740
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,307 €3,831
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rakvere
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,588 €1,412
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.93
3.85
2.08%

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

Last update for Rakvere: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rakvere
$355
Lisbon
$219 38.2% $136
Groceries & Markets
Rakvere
$227
Lisbon
$269 18.5% $42
Eating Out
Rakvere
$221
Lisbon
$242 9.5% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Rakvere
$171
Lisbon
$166 2.8% $4.8
Sport & Entertainment
Rakvere
$9.9 *
Lisbon
$66 565% $56
Getting Around
Rakvere
$8.5 *
Lisbon
$63 641% $55
Accommodation & Living
Rakvere
- *
Lisbon
$1.2K

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Rakvere vs $61.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $269, with Rakvere cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇪 Rakvere
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
02:34 2:34 AM
00:34 12:34 AM
2 h behind Rakvere
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,953
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rakvere Lisbon 3,390 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Rakvere
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Rakvere vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Rakvere and in Lisbon?
Rakvere and Lisbon differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($993 vs $2,223 including rent). Rakvere is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Rakvere compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $1,490 in Rakvere and $3,335 in Lisbon 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Rakvere or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $993 per month in Rakvere versus $2,223 in Lisbon – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $993 in Rakvere versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rakvere but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rakvere the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Rakvere 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 Rakvere or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Rakvere 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: Rakvere or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Rakvere gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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