Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in 'ali versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in 'ali versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in 'ali versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 63% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: 'ali is 39% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 BHD 2.53

$17.55 €15.12

-61.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 BHD 20.28

$64.5 €55.6

-16.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BHD 2.84

$11.65 €10.04

-35.36%

Cappuccino

$4.84 BHD 1.83

$3.26 €2.81

48.47%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$2.49 €2.15

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$1.67 €1.44

-82.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$3.47 €2.99

86.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 BHD 3.76

$3.58 €3.08

178.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 BHD 0.56

$1.18 €1.02

25.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$1.95 €1.68

-45.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$1.56 €1.35

47.44%

Eggs

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$4.01 €3.46

-41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 BHD 3.28

$13.27 €11.44

-34.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 BHD 2.42

$8.42 €7.26

-23.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 BHD 3.31

$18.23 €15.72

-51.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 BHD 0.91

$2.32 €2.00

3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BHD 0.84

$1.73 €1.49

28.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BHD 0.70

$1.93 €1.67

-3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

$2.64 €2.27

-47.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

$1.90 €1.64

-47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 BHD 0.53

$2.11 €1.82

-32.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 BHD 0.58

$1.44 €1.24

6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$0.80 €0.69

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 BHD 2.04

$7.01 €6.04

-22.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 BHD 7.07

$5.92 €5.11

217.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 BHD 1.32

$1.36 €1.18

156.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 BHD 1.01

$2.15 €1.85

24.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 BHD 1.95

$4.19 €3.61

23.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$1.10 €0.95

215.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.67 BHD 5.91

$17.26 €14.88

-9.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 BHD 0.26

$2.25 €1.94

-68.89%

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

$36.5K BHD 13.8K

$34.5K €29.7K

5.94%

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

$20.9K BHD 7,894

$41.6K €35.9K

-49.68%

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

$151 BHD 57.1

$171 €147

-11.42%

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

$24.86 BHD 9.37

$19.01 €16.38

30.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.36 BHD 13.33

$34.28 €29.55

3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 BHD 4.04

$10.10 €8.71

6.04%

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

$480 BHD 181

$699 €603

-31.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,063

$17.8K €15.3K

-39.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 BHD 18.94

$105 €90.2

-51.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 BHD 22.05

$47.97 €41.35

21.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 BHD 33.77

$102 €87.8

-12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 BHD 34.37

$128 €111

-28.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,759 BHD 1,417

$1,619 €1,396

132.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

3.78

64.29%

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

Last update for 'ali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in 'ali vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $281 per month, with 'ali 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

'ali vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 171% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 132% higher in 'ali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $835 per month in 'ali versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in 'ali versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 'ali 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 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.