Cost of Living Comparison Between Torshavn and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Torshavn and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,279 in Torshavn versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,597 in Torshavn versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,916 in Torshavn versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Torshavn costs roughly 1% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Torshavn 71% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.94 FOK 150

$16.19 €14.15

41.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$138 FOK 903

$63.3 €55.3

118.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.23 FOK 132

$10.32 €9.02

96.03%

Cappuccino

$7.03 FOK 45.90

$2.83 €2.47

148.41%

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

$3.11 FOK 20.31

$2.29 €2.00

35.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 FOK 16.77

$1.58 €1.38

62.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.49 FOK 62.0

$3.40 €2.97

179.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.50 FOK 55.5

$4.03 €3.52

110.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 FOK 14.84

$1.09 €0.95

108.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 FOK 26.15

$1.75 €1.53

128.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 FOK 12.36

$1.76 €1.54

7.39%

Eggs

$5.74 FOK 37.47

$3.17 €2.77

81.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 FOK 84.2

$13.19 €11.53

-2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 FOK 92.5

$7.97 €6.96

77.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.57

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 FOK 15.29

$2.37 €2.07

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 FOK 18.36

$1.71 €1.49

64.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 FOK 19.89

$2.01 €1.75

51.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 FOK 12.36

$2.43 €2.12

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 FOK 17.79

$1.76 €1.54

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 FOK 22.15

$2.03 €1.78

67.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 FOK 16.53

$1.92 €1.68

31.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 FOK 17.91

$0.85 €0.74

222.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.72 FOK 70.0

$6.58 €5.75

62.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 FOK 83.6

$5.58 €4.87

129.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 FOK 14.06

$1.33 €1.16

61.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 FOK 19.75

$2.97 €2.60

1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 FOK 81.2

$4.23 €3.69

194.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 FOK 13.60

$2.08 €1.82

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$55.9K FOK 364.9K

$39.2K €34.2K

42.70%

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

$131 FOK 857

$148 €129

-11.33%

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

$39.70 FOK 259

$20.46 €17.88

94.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 FOK 439

$39.56 €34.56

70.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.01 FOK 261

$47.99 €41.93

-16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$16.37 FOK 107

$9.22 €8.06

77.55%

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

$559 FOK 3,648

$616 €538

-9.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$155 FOK 1,010

$103 €89.7

50.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 FOK 408

$41.74 €36.47

49.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 FOK 1,078

$94.8 €82.8

74.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$224 FOK 1,461

$122 €107

83.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 FOK 7,204

$1,633 €1,426

-32.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 FOK 6,125

$1,232 €1,077

-23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 FOK 12.8K

$3,098 €2,707

-36.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 FOK 9,898

$2,031 €1,775

-25.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,755 FOK 31.0K

$7,831 €6,842

-39.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,761 FOK 31.1K

$4,389 €3,835

8.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,297 FOK 21.5K

$1,607 €1,404

105.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Torshavn: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Torshavn and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torshavn pays 105% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $138 in Torshavn vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $267 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

Torshavn vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Torshavn and Lisbon differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,279 vs $2,291 including rent). Torshavn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 105% higher in Torshavn, 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: $1,103 in Torshavn versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,279 per month in Torshavn versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Torshavn 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, Torshavn 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 Torshavn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.