😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,512 in Sandvika versus $2,227 in Lisbon.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,866 in Sandvika versus $3,305 in Lisbon.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,220 in Sandvika versus $4,384 in Lisbon.
😐Living in Sandvika is roughly 13% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sandvika88% above, Lisbon66% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.28NOK 152
$16.17€13.84
0.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.3NOK 879
$64.6€55.3
46.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$20.76NOK 194
$10.38€8.88
100.00%
Cappuccino
$3.96NOK 36.88
$2.77€2.37
42.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87NOK 26.76
$2.25€1.92
27.56%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29NOK 21.33
$1.57€1.35
45.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.06NOK 75.1
$3.49€2.99
130.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.50NOK 88.6
$4.00€3.43
137.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.41NOK 22.49
$1.08€0.93
123.15%
White Bread(500g)
$3.45NOK 32.13
$1.74€1.49
98.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.90NOK 17.74
$1.74€1.49
9.20%
Eggs
$4.20NOK 39.17
$3.18€2.72
32.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.62NOK 174
$13.43€11.50
38.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$25.89NOK 241
$7.99€6.84
224.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.46NOK 219
$16.09€13.77
45.80%
Apples(1kg)
$2.69NOK 25.06
$2.28€1.95
17.98%
Banana(1kg)
$2.41NOK 22.45
$1.72€1.48
40.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.55NOK 33.06
$1.94€1.66
82.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.64NOK 33.89
$2.54€2.18
43.31%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16NOK 20.18
$1.83€1.57
18.03%
Onion(1kg)
$2.42NOK 22.59
$2.04€1.75
18.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.26NOK 21.04
$1.98€1.69
14.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51NOK 14.04
$0.85€0.73
77.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.21NOK 142
$6.85€5.87
122.04%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.25NOK 179
$5.78€4.94
233.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.61NOK 33.63
$1.37€1.18
163.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29NOK 49.30
$2.90€2.48
82.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.77NOK 35.17
$2.28€1.95
65.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$89.8NOK 837
$46.84€40.10
91.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.99NOK 74.5
$4.08€3.49
95.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.36NOK 12.66
$0.82€0.70
65.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$52.0NOK 484
$18.27€15.64
184.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.29NOK 21.36
$2.01€1.72
13.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.0KNOK 391.0K
$35.3K€30.2K
18.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.6KNOK 387.5K
$38.5K€32.9K
8.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$243NOK 2,265
$145€124
67.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.89NOK 279
$20.96€17.94
42.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.9NOK 595
$40.05€34.29
59.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.8NOK 566
$48.79€41.76
24.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.14NOK 327
$18.69€16.00
88.01%
Cinema Ticket
$20.09NOK 187
$9.06€7.76
121.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$297NOK 2,772
$607€519
-50.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.2KNOK 94.9K
$16.3K€14.0K
-37.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$135NOK 1,255
$105€89.6
28.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.70NOK 463
$40.95€35.06
21.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$126NOK 1,175
$93.6€80.1
34.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$200NOK 1,868
$119€101
69.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,219NOK 11.4K
$1,604€1,373
-23.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$905NOK 8,436
$1,236€1,058
-26.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,806NOK 16.8K
$3,046€2,607
-40.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,560NOK 14.5K
$2,057€1,761
-24.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,382NOK 78.1K
$7,709€6,599
8.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,525NOK 42.2K
$4,266€3,652
6.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sandvika
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,337NOK 49.7K
$1,584€1,356
236.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.8
3.81
25.98%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sandvika: April 28, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,219 in Sandvika and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sandvika pays 237% 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: $94.0 in Sandvika vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $505 vs $271 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
Sandvika vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sandvika and Lisbon?
Sandvika and Lisbon differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,512 vs $2,227 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sandvika or Lisbon?
Sandvika pays 237% more on average, 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 Sandvika and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,219 in Sandvika versus $1,604 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 Sandvika and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $297 in Sandvika versus $607 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?
Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Sandvika. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,512 in Sandvika, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Sandvika. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sandvika 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 Sandvika or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sandvika 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: Sandvika or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Sandvika. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.