Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kairouan and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Kairouan: $634 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kairouan, Tunisia
Lisbon, Portugal
Kairouan
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$634
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $634 per month in Kairouan vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Kairouan $634
  • Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $975 per month in Kairouan vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Kairouan $975
  • Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $1,315 per month in Kairouan vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Kairouan $1,315
  • Lisbon $4,341

Kairouan is about 71% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kairouan sits 53% below the global median, while Lisbon is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.71 TND 8.14
$16.65 €14.91
-83.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.14 TND 48.49
$61.7 €55.3
-73.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.10 TND 18.33
$11.36 €10.17
-46.30%
Cappuccino
$0.98 TND 2.95
$2.97 €2.66
-67.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 TND 2.56
$2.29 €2.05
-62.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 TND 1.05
$1.74 €1.56
-79.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.71 TND 5.14
$3.40 €3.05
-49.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 TND 7.96
$3.31 €2.96
-19.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.49 TND 1.48
$1.16 €1.04
-57.76%
White Bread (500g)
$0.09 TND 0.27
$1.91 €1.71
-95.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 TND 5.16
$1.51 €1.35
13.91%
Eggs
$1.52 TND 4.58
$4.02 €3.60
-62.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.89 TND 29.70
$12.94 €11.59
-23.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.52 TND 16.57
$7.77 €6.96
-28.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.96 TND 35.93
$17.76 €15.91
-32.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.14 TND 6.44
$2.30 €2.06
-6.96%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 TND 6.83
$1.73 €1.55
31.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.16 TND 3.48
$1.86 €1.66
-37.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.81 TND 2.44
$2.59 €2.32
-68.73%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 TND 1.94
$1.82 €1.63
-64.29%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 TND 1.93
$1.97 €1.76
-67.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.50 TND 1.49
$1.47 €1.32
-65.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 TND 0.72
$0.72 €0.65
-66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.33 TND 9.99
$6.58 €5.90
-49.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.74 TND 20.26
$5.61 €5.02
20.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 TND 3.69
$1.36 €1.22
-9.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 TND 4.37
$2.14 €1.91
-31.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 TND 0.98
$2.33 €2.09
-85.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.96 TND 29.93
$44.68 €40.01
-77.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.29 TND 0.87
$3.85 €3.45
-92.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 TND 0.94
$1.07 €0.96
-71.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.78 TND 5.36
$16.46 €14.74
-89.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.77 TND 2.32
$2.20 €1.97
-65.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.9K TND 116.8K
$34.2K €30.6K
13.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K TND 109.8K
$38.7K €34.7K
-5.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.9 TND 180
$161 €144
-62.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.65 TND 25.99
$18.41 €16.49
-53.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.80 TND 59.5
$32.74 €29.32
-39.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.85 TND 71.7
$44.55 €39.90
-46.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.24 TND 36.78
$19.10 €17.10
-35.92%
Cinema Ticket
$4.78 TND 14.35
$9.60 €8.60
-50.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$106 TND 319
$668 €598
-84.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,181 TND 9,558
$17.6K €15.8K
-81.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.41 TND 70.4
$102 €91.4
-77.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.7 TND 185
$44.46 €39.82
38.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.11 TND 139
$98.5 €88.2
-53.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.3 TND 253
$124 €111
-31.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$118 TND 355
$1,608 €1,440
-92.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 TND 470
$1,190 €1,066
-86.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$366 TND 1,099
$2,812 €2,519
-86.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$269 TND 808
$2,013 €1,803
-86.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$963 TND 2,893
$7,839 €7,021
-87.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$621 TND 1,864
$4,576 €4,098
-86.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kairouan
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$328 TND 986
$1,575 €1,411
-79.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.65
3.85
176.62%

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

Last update for Kairouan: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kairouan
$176
Lisbon
$272 55.1% $97
Accommodation & Living
Kairouan
$156
Lisbon
$1.2K 661% $1K
Clothing & Footwear
Kairouan
$97
Lisbon
$166 71% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kairouan
$88
Lisbon
$212 140% $124
Eating Out
Kairouan
$70
Lisbon
$243 244% $172
Sport & Entertainment
Kairouan
$33
Lisbon
$64 90.8% $30
Getting Around
Kairouan
$13
Lisbon
$63 381% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Kairouan versus $1,608 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 in Lisbon are about 4.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Kairouan versus $62 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $272 – making Kairouan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Kairouan
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
00:14 12:14 AM
23:14 11:14 PM
1 h behind Kairouan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
139,070
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3 TND (1 TND = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kairouan Lisbon 1,730 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kairouan
  • 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
Kairouan vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kairouan and in Lisbon compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $634 in Kairouan, $2,210 in Lisbon – Kairouan comes out roughly 71% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Kairouan compared to Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $951 per month in Kairouan and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kairouan and Lisbon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kairouan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $118 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do commuting costs compare in Kairouan and in Lisbon?
Public transport costs about 78% less in Kairouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kairouan and Lisbon?
Kindergarten costs $106 per month in Kairouan and $668 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kairouan, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Kairouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Kairouan or Lisbon?
Families tend to lean toward Kairouan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Kairouan or Lisbon safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Kairouan and Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Kairouan. If higher salaries 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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