Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $642 in Ba'qubah versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Ba'qubah versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,338 in Ba'qubah versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 72% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ba'qubah is 52% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 IQD 6,639

$16.19 €14.15

-68.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

$63.3 €55.3

-75.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 IQD 8,711

$10.32 €9.02

-35.56%

Cappuccino

$1.17 IQD 1,531

$2.83 €2.47

-58.66%

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

$0.48 IQD 628

$2.29 €2.00

-79.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 258

$1.58 €1.38

-87.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 IQD 2,552

$3.40 €2.97

-42.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,764

$4.03 €3.52

-47.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 IQD 1,465

$1.09 €0.95

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 IQD 782

$1.75 €1.53

-65.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,523

$1.76 €1.54

-34.09%

Eggs

$1.46 IQD 1,918

$3.17 €2.77

-53.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.28 IQD 2,984

$13.19 €11.53

-82.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.47 IQD 3,241

$7.97 €6.96

-69.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

$15.53 €13.57

-31.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,300

$2.37 €2.07

-58.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,527

$1.71 €1.49

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 IQD 1,211

$2.01 €1.75

-53.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 764

$2.43 €2.12

-76.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 771

$1.76 €1.54

-66.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 861

$2.03 €1.78

-67.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 IQD 659

$1.92 €1.68

-73.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 232

$0.85 €0.74

-78.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 IQD 3,464

$6.58 €5.75

-59.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.26 IQD 16.1K

$5.58 €4.87

119.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 IQD 1,802

$1.33 €1.16

3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,532

$2.97 €2.60

-35.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 484

$2.28 €1.99

-83.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.51 IQD 39.9K

$45.79 €40.01

-33.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,952

$4.23 €3.69

-46.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 IQD 2,801

$0.81 €0.71

164.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 IQD 6,951

$18.44 €16.11

-71.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 426

$2.08 €1.82

-84.13%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

$34.7K €30.3K

-43.82%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$39.2K €34.2K

-48.36%

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

$58.2 IQD 76.2K

$148 €129

-60.68%

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

$17.75 IQD 23.2K

$20.46 €17.88

-13.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.19 IQD 35.6K

$39.56 €34.56

-31.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.92 IQD 24.8K

$47.99 €41.93

-60.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

$18.60 €16.25

-10.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 IQD 5,073

$9.22 €8.06

-58.03%

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

$27.04 IQD 35.4K

$616 €538

-95.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$636 IQD 832.7K

$16.4K €14.4K

-96.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

$103 €89.7

-81.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.22 IQD 25.2K

$41.74 €36.47

-53.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 IQD 106.4K

$94.8 €82.8

-14.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.50 IQD 34.7K

$122 €107

-78.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 321.7K

$1,633 €1,426

-84.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.4K

$1,232 €1,077

-85.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 752.4K

$3,098 €2,707

-81.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 457.7K

$2,031 €1,775

-82.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$759 IQD 993.8K

$7,831 €6,842

-90.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$190 IQD 249.3K

$4,389 €3,835

-95.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 IQD 950.9K

$1,607 €1,404

-54.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

3.81

48.82%

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

Last update for Ba'qubah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Ba'qubah and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 121% 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: $15.00 in Ba'qubah vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $140 vs $267 per month, with Ba'qubah 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

Ba'qubah vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 257% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 121% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Ba'qubah versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $642 in Ba'qubah versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 257% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.