Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktau and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktau: $793 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aktau
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$793
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $793 per month in Aktau vs $2,223 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Aktau $793
  • Lisbon $2,223

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Aktau vs $3,271 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Aktau $1,317
  • Lisbon $3,271

A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Aktau vs $4,319 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Aktau $1,842
  • Lisbon $4,319

Aktau is about 64% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Aktau sits 41% below the global median, while Lisbon is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.07 ₸5,005
$16.50 €14.67
-32.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.55 ₸19.7K
$61.3 €54.5
-28.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.17 ₸4,596
$11.27 €10.03
-9.76%
Cappuccino
$2.49 ₸1,128
$3.06 €2.72
-18.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ₸333
$2.26 €2.01
-67.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₸219
$1.73 €1.54
-72.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.30 ₸586
$3.39 €3.02
-61.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 ₸690
$3.40 €3.02
-55.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 ₸638
$1.12 €1.00
25.89%
White Bread (500g)
$0.47 ₸211
$1.86 €1.65
-74.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 ₸864
$1.53 €1.36
24.84%
Eggs
$1.73 ₸783
$3.96 €3.53
-56.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.87 ₸4,463
$12.76 €11.35
-22.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.24 ₸1,915
$7.90 €7.02
-46.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.95 ₸4,044
$16.97 €15.09
-47.26%
Apples (1kg)
$1.53 ₸689
$2.27 €2.02
-32.60%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 ₸1,013
$1.75 €1.55
28.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.35 ₸1,064
$1.85 €1.64
27.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 ₸1,264
$2.57 €2.28
8.95%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₸295
$1.86 €1.65
-65.05%
Onion (1kg)
$0.56 ₸254
$2.02 €1.80
-72.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 ₸700
$1.44 €1.28
7.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 ₸424
$0.82 €0.73
14.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.59 ₸1,172
$6.56 €5.83
-60.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.54 ₸4,313
$5.62 €5.00
69.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ₸326
$1.28 €1.14
-43.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ₸393
$2.07 €1.84
-57.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 ₸82.6
$2.35 €2.09
-92.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.18 €39.30
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.13 ₸512
$3.99 €3.55
-71.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸290
$1.09 €0.97
-41.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.64 €14.81
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.63 ₸283
$2.28 €2.03
-72.37%
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)
$31.4K ₸14.2M
$39.3K €35.0K
-20.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.69 ₸20.7K
$167 €149
-72.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.94 ₸3,587
$18.80 €16.72
-57.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.01 ₸4,979
$33.09 €29.43
-66.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.98 ₸16.3K
$46.01 €40.93
-21.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.19 €17.07
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.18 ₸1,437
$9.84 €8.75
-67.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$143 ₸64.8K
$677 €602
-78.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,621 ₸1.2M
$16.9K €15.1K
-84.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8 ₸30.2K
$101 €90.1
-34.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.67 ₸18.4K
$45.76 €40.70
-11.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.7 ₸32.4K
$100.0 €88.9
-28.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 ₸40.5K
$123 €109
-27.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$330 ₸149.2K
$1,614 €1,436
-79.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$196 ₸88.6K
$1,197 €1,065
-83.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$551 ₸249.0K
$2,862 €2,545
-80.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 ₸177.8K
$1,990 €1,770
-80.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$813 ₸367.6K
$7,577 €6,740
-89.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$659 ₸297.7K
$4,307 €3,831
-84.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aktau
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$564 ₸254.8K
$1,588 €1,412
-64.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14
3.85
263.64%

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

Last update for Aktau: October 10, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Aktau
$200
Lisbon
$269 34.4% $69
Accommodation & Living
Aktau
$196
Lisbon
$1.2K 511% $1K
Eating Out
Aktau
$163
Lisbon
$242 48.2% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
$121
Lisbon
$166 37.6% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
$65
Lisbon
$219 239% $155
Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
$42
Lisbon
$66 55.1% $23
Getting Around
Aktau
$5.1 *
Lisbon
$63 1143% $58

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Aktau versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 182% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Aktau versus $61.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $269 – making Aktau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Aktau
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
08:24 8:24 AM
04:24 4:24 AM
4 h behind Aktau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
273,830
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Aktau Lisbon 4,970 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aktau
  • 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
Aktau vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aktau or Lisbon?
Lisbon costs about 180% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Aktau and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,189 per month in Aktau and $3,335 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Aktau or Lisbon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Aktau and in Lisbon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Aktau and $61.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Aktau or in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 34% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Aktau or in Lisbon?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aktau, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Lisbon at $2,223. In Aktau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Aktau or Lisbon?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $793 versus $2,223 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Aktau compared to Lisbon?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Aktau or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Aktau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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