Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Torshavn and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $2,504 in Torshavn, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. The total is higher in Torshavn despite lower rent and utilities.

Torshavn
🇫🇴 Faroe Islands
$2,504
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,504 in Torshavn versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Torshavn $2,504
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,918 in Torshavn versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Torshavn $3,918
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,331 in Torshavn versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Torshavn $5,331
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Torshavn is roughly 13% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Torshavn 86% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.03 FOK 173
$16.50 €14.67
57.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$147 FOK 975
$61.3 €54.5
139.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$19.59 FOK 130
$11.27 €10.03
73.82%
Cappuccino
$7.02 FOK 46.67
$3.06 €2.72
129.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 FOK 21.77
$2.26 €2.01
44.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 FOK 17.80
$1.73 €1.54
54.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.26 FOK 61.6
$3.39 €3.02
173.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.87 FOK 59.0
$3.40 €3.02
160.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 FOK 14.76
$1.12 €1.00
98.21%
White Bread (500g)
$4.81 FOK 32.00
$1.86 €1.65
158.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.03 FOK 20.12
$1.53 €1.36
98.04%
Eggs
$6.49 FOK 43.15
$3.96 €3.53
63.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.36 FOK 109
$12.76 €11.35
28.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.30 FOK 95.1
$7.90 €7.02
81.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.71 FOK 118
$16.97 €15.09
4.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.96 FOK 26.34
$2.27 €2.02
74.45%
Banana (1kg)
$5.41 FOK 35.96
$1.75 €1.55
209.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.07 FOK 40.37
$1.85 €1.64
228.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.19 FOK 34.49
$2.57 €2.28
101.95%
Potato (1kg)
$3.56 FOK 23.69
$1.86 €1.65
91.40%
Onion (1kg)
$4.50 FOK 29.95
$2.02 €1.80
122.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.35 FOK 22.27
$1.44 €1.28
132.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.83 FOK 25.46
$0.82 €0.73
367.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.06 FOK 73.6
$6.56 €5.83
68.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.63 FOK 90.7
$5.62 €5.00
142.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.18 FOK 27.80
$1.28 €1.14
226.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 FOK 20.24
$2.07 €1.84
46.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.35 €2.09
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.71 FOK 198
$44.18 €39.30
-32.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$14.86 FOK 98.8
$3.99 €3.55
272.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.09 €0.97
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.64 €14.81
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 FOK 11.83
$2.28 €2.03
-21.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$33.7K €30.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$39.3K €35.0K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$126 FOK 836
$167 €149
-24.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.61 FOK 283
$18.80 €16.72
126.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.7 FOK 590
$33.09 €29.43
168.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 FOK 371
$46.01 €40.93
21.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.19 €17.07
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.28 FOK 108
$9.84 €8.75
65.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$481 FOK 3,196
$677 €602
-29.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.9K €15.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$137 FOK 913
$101 €90.1
35.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.0 FOK 399
$45.76 €40.70
31.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$164 FOK 1,088
$100.0 €88.9
63.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$244 FOK 1,624
$123 €109
98.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,102 FOK 7,325
$1,614 €1,436
-31.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$885 FOK 5,887
$1,197 €1,065
-26.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,896 FOK 12.6K
$2,862 €2,545
-33.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,356 FOK 9,015
$1,990 €1,770
-31.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,620 FOK 30.7K
$7,577 €6,740
-39.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,573 FOK 30.4K
$4,307 €3,831
6.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Torshavn
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,246 FOK 21.6K
$1,588 €1,412
104.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.85
-

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

Last update for Torshavn: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Torshavn
$885
Lisbon
$1.2K 35.2% $312
Groceries & Markets
Torshavn
$518
Lisbon
$269 48% $248
Eating Out
Torshavn
$439
Lisbon
$242 44.8% $197
Clothing & Footwear
Torshavn
$272
Lisbon
$166 38.9% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Torshavn
$257
Lisbon
$219 14.7% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Torshavn
$88
Lisbon
$66 25.6% $23
Getting Around
Torshavn
$45 *
Lisbon
$63 41.4% $18

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,102 in Torshavn and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torshavn pays 104% 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: $147 in Torshavn vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $518 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇴 Torshavn
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
07:34 7:34 AM
07:34 7:34 AM
Same time as Torshavn
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,145 Capital
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to FOK – Faroese Króna Converter

Faroese Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 FOK (1 FOK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.48 FOK (1 FOK = 0.134 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Torshavn Lisbon 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Torshavn
  • 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
Torshavn vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Torshavn and in Lisbon?
Torshavn and Lisbon differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,504 vs $2,223 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Torshavn or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 104% higher in Torshavn, 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 Torshavn and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,102 in Torshavn 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 Torshavn and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $481 in Torshavn 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 92% higher in Torshavn. 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 $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,504 in Torshavn, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Torshavn. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Torshavn 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 Torshavn or Lisbon safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Torshavn or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Torshavn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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