Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shkoder and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Shkoder: $961 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Shkoder
🇦🇱 Albania
$961
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shkoder 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 Shkoder and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $961 in Shkoder versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Shkoder $961
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,451 in Shkoder versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Shkoder $1,451
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,941 in Shkoder versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Shkoder $1,941
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Shkoder costs roughly 57% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shkoder is 29% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.94 ALL 720
$16.50 €14.67
-45.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.60 ALL 3,028
$61.3 €54.5
-38.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.04 ALL 487
$11.27 €10.03
-46.41%
Cappuccino
$1.88 ALL 152
$3.06 €2.72
-38.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 ALL 149
$2.26 €2.01
-18.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 ALL 51.1
$1.73 €1.54
-63.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.82 ALL 147
$3.39 €3.02
-46.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 ALL 247
$3.40 €3.02
-10.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 ALL 152
$1.12 €1.00
68.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.00 ALL 80.3
$1.86 €1.65
-46.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ALL 163
$1.53 €1.36
32.68%
Eggs
$2.58 ALL 208
$3.96 €3.53
-34.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 ALL 585
$12.76 €11.35
-43.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.03 ALL 405
$7.90 €7.02
-36.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.79 ALL 869
$16.97 €15.09
-36.42%
Apples (1kg)
$1.63 ALL 131
$2.27 €2.02
-28.19%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 ALL 178
$1.75 €1.55
26.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ALL 134
$1.85 €1.64
-10.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ALL 121
$2.57 €2.28
-41.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 ALL 81.9
$1.86 €1.65
-45.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 ALL 100
$2.02 €1.80
-38.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 ALL 95.2
$1.44 €1.28
-18.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ALL 57.6
$0.82 €0.73
-12.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.18 ALL 336
$6.56 €5.83
-36.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.26 ALL 504
$5.62 €5.00
11.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ALL 127
$1.28 €1.14
23.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ALL 141
$2.07 €1.84
-15.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.49 ALL 39.24
$2.35 €2.09
-79.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.09 ALL 893
$44.18 €39.30
-74.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.60 ALL 290
$3.99 €3.55
-9.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.87 ALL 311
$1.09 €0.97
255.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.31 ALL 1,474
$16.64 €14.81
10.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 ALL 180
$2.28 €2.03
-1.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K ALL 2.7M
$33.7K €30.0K
1.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K ALL 2.0M
$39.3K €35.0K
-37.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.2 ALL 4,926
$167 €149
-63.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.81 ALL 1,354
$18.80 €16.72
-10.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.27 ALL 1,391
$33.09 €29.43
-47.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.56 ALL 3,427
$46.01 €40.93
-7.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.07 ALL 972
$19.19 €17.07
-37.10%
Cinema Ticket
$7.39 ALL 595
$9.84 €8.75
-24.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$93.2 ALL 7,509
$677 €602
-86.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,846 ALL 148.7K
$16.9K €15.1K
-89.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.08 ALL 3,952
$101 €90.1
-51.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.44 ALL 1,002
$45.76 €40.70
-72.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.2 ALL 5,818
$100.0 €88.9
-27.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 ALL 11.6K
$123 €109
17.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 ALL 38.3K
$1,614 €1,436
-70.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ALL 24.6K
$1,197 €1,065
-74.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$485 ALL 39.0K
$2,862 €2,545
-83.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$407 ALL 32.7K
$1,990 €1,770
-79.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,855 ALL 149.4K
$7,577 €6,740
-75.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,213 ALL 97.7K
$4,307 €3,831
-71.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shkoder
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$572 ALL 46.1K
$1,588 €1,412
-63.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.85
29.87%

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

Last update for Shkoder: October 10, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Shkoder
$305
Lisbon
$1.2K 292% $892
Groceries & Markets
Shkoder
$205
Lisbon
$269 31.5% $64
Eating Out
Shkoder
$137
Lisbon
$242 76.3% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Shkoder
$125
Lisbon
$166 32.9% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shkoder
$95
Lisbon
$219 130% $124
Sport & Entertainment
Shkoder
$57
Lisbon
$66 14.6% $8.3
Getting Around
Shkoder
$36
Lisbon
$63 75.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Shkoder and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 178% 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: $38.00 in Shkoder vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $269 per month, with Shkoder cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇱 Shkoder
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
09:37 9:37 AM
08:37 8:37 AM
1 h behind Shkoder
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
77,075
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ALL – Albanian Lek Converter

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Shkoder Lisbon 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Shkoder
  • 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
Shkoder vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Shkoder and in Lisbon?
Shkoder and Lisbon differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($961 vs $2,223 including rent). Shkoder is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 178% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Shkoder and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Shkoder versus $1,614 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 Shkoder and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $93.2 in Shkoder versus $677 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 31% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $961 in Shkoder versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shkoder but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Shkoder the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Shkoder 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 Shkoder or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Shkoder 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: Shkoder or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Shkoder gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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