Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Irkutsk and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Irkutsk: $1,013 a month against $2,203 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Irkutsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,013
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,203
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Irkutsk versus $2,203 in Lisbon.

  • Irkutsk $1,013
  • Lisbon $2,203

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Irkutsk versus $3,237 in Lisbon.

  • Irkutsk $1,501
  • Lisbon $3,237

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,988 in Irkutsk versus $4,272 in Lisbon.

  • Irkutsk $1,988
  • Lisbon $4,272

Living in Irkutsk costs roughly 54% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Irkutsk is 24% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.18 ₽611
$17.01 €15.18
-57.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58 ₽2,772
$62.7 €56.0
-48.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.81 ₽494
$11.42 €10.19
-49.12%
Cappuccino
$3.03 ₽258
$3.09 €2.76
-1.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₽136
$2.37 €2.11
-32.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ₽55.1
$1.66 €1.48
-60.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.69 ₽229
$3.46 €3.09
-22.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₽344
$3.29 €2.93
22.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 ₽102
$1.17 €1.04
2.56%
White Bread (500g)
$0.64 ₽54.5
$1.87 €1.66
-65.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 ₽189
$1.52 €1.36
46.05%
Eggs
$1.59 ₽135
$3.88 €3.46
-59.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.69 ₽995
$12.87 €11.49
-9.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.04 ₽514
$7.94 €7.08
-23.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.24 ₽956
$17.63 €15.73
-36.25%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 ₽161
$2.26 €2.01
-16.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 ₽169
$1.76 €1.57
13.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 ₽149
$1.88 €1.68
-6.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.47 ₽295
$2.47 €2.20
40.49%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 ₽61.4
$1.86 €1.66
-61.29%
Onion (1kg)
$0.69 ₽58.6
$2.07 €1.85
-66.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.79 ₽152
$1.39 €1.24
28.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 ₽55.6
$0.81 €0.73
-19.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.70 ₽230
$6.89 €6.15
-60.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.17 ₽610
$5.53 €4.93
29.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 ₽86.7
$1.33 €1.19
-23.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 ₽162
$2.17 €1.93
-12.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 ₽48.62
$2.24 €2.00
-74.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.79 ₽1,344
$45.14 €40.29
-65.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 ₽102
$4.00 €3.57
-70.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.18 ₽14.94
$1.07 €0.95
-83.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.91 ₽758
$16.53 €14.75
-46.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 ₽66.8
$2.26 €2.02
-65.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K ₽2.5M
$33.5K €29.9K
-13.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.8K ₽3.1M
$40.5K €36.1K
-9.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$118 ₽10.0K
$164 €146
-28.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.84 ₽497
$18.54 €16.55
-68.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.41 ₽971
$33.21 €29.64
-65.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.35 ₽2,923
$46.01 €41.06
-25.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.13 ₽1,798
$18.80 €16.78
12.39%
Cinema Ticket
$6.64 ₽565
$9.47 €8.45
-29.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$294 ₽25.0K
$690 €615
-57.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,121 ₽265.6K
$16.9K €15.0K
-81.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 ₽4,992
$105 €93.4
-43.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.42 ₽1,993
$45.27 €40.40
-48.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 ₽8,516
$99.0 €88.3
1.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 ₽9,642
$124 €111
-8.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$438 ₽37.2K
$1,583 €1,413
-72.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₽26.3K
$1,209 €1,079
-74.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$750 ₽63.8K
$2,833 €2,528
-73.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$432 ₽36.8K
$1,964 €1,753
-78.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,712 ₽230.8K
$7,643 €6,821
-64.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,807 ₽153.7K
$4,431 €3,954
-59.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Irkutsk
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$752 ₽64.0K
$1,573 €1,403
-52.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.57
3.79
548.28%

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

Last update for Irkutsk: October 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Irkutsk
$309
Lisbon
$1.2K 291% $900
Groceries & Markets
Irkutsk
$220
Lisbon
$272 23.5% $52
Eating Out
Irkutsk
$142
Lisbon
$247 74.4% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Irkutsk
$135
Lisbon
$215 59.7% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Irkutsk
$133
Lisbon
$168 26.2% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Irkutsk
$48
Lisbon
$65 36.3% $17
Getting Around
Irkutsk
$20
Lisbon
$63 215% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Irkutsk and $1,583 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 109% 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: $33.00 in Irkutsk vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $272 per month, with Irkutsk cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Irkutsk
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
14:42 2:42 PM
07:42 7:42 AM
7 h behind Irkutsk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
617,515
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 85.09 RUB (100 RUB = 1.18 USD). 1 EUR = 95.44 RUB (100 RUB = 1.05 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Irkutsk Lisbon 8,030 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Irkutsk
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Irkutsk vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Irkutsk or Lisbon?
Irkutsk wins on cost – living expenses run 117% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Irkutsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Irkutsk or in Lisbon?
On paper, salaries run 109% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Irkutsk compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Irkutsk versus $1,583 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Irkutsk and in Lisbon?
Childcare runs $294 in Irkutsk versus $690 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Irkutsk or in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Irkutsk or in Lisbon?
At $1,013 in Irkutsk versus $2,203 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Irkutsk but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Irkutsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Irkutsk or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Irkutsk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Irkutsk hard to pass up.
How safe is Irkutsk compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Irkutsk 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Irkutsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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