Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $541 in Karaj versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $985 in Karaj versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,428 in Karaj versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Karaj costs roughly 76% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karaj is 60% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 $4.09

$15.94 €13.73

-74.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.69 $17.69

$63.4 €54.6

-72.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 $4.90

$10.38 €8.95

-52.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.31 $1.31

$2.79 €2.40

-53.05%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$2.34 €2.01

-80.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.57 €1.35

-31.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.08 €0.93

-40.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.77 €1.52

-67.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.71 €1.47

8.19%

Eggs

$1.01 $1.01

$3.15 €2.71

-67.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$13.68 €11.79

-74.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$8.01 €6.90

-58.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$15.52 €13.37

-32.02%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.29 €1.98

-63.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.64 €1.41

-13.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.94 €1.67

-58.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$2.51 €2.17

-81.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 $0.45

$1.79 €1.54

-74.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$2.01 €1.73

-76.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.97 €1.69

-68.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 $0.22

$0.84 €0.73

-73.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.61 $0.61

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 $2.47

$6.79 €5.85

-63.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 $0.18

$2.27 €1.95

-92.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.82 $12.82

$45.44 €39.15

-71.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$4.29 €3.70

-92.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.85 €0.73

-65.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$18.28 €15.75

-86.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.99 €1.71

-64.32%

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

$80.4K $80.4K

$35.0K €30.2K

129.38%

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

$54.0K $54.0K

$39.5K €34.1K

36.54%

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

$13.74 $13.74

$146 €126

-90.60%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$20.45 €17.62

-89.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.74 $5.74

$38.98 €33.58

-85.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.57 $22.57

$48.98 €42.21

-53.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 $10.19

$18.83 €16.22

-45.88%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$9.52 €8.21

-83.82%

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

$127 $127

$608 €524

-79.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$814 $814

$16.5K €14.2K

-95.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.87 $24.87

$104 €89.5

-76.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 $34.58

$42.12 €36.29

-17.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 $98.2

$92.2 €79.5

6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 $61.0

$120 €103

-49.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 $364

$1,621 €1,397

-77.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 $194

$1,268 €1,092

-84.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$3,048 €2,626

-71.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 $623

$2,009 €1,731

-68.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,264 $1,264

$7,663 €6,602

-83.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$544 $544

$4,329 €3,730

-87.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 $243

$1,585 €1,366

-84.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.67

3.81

495.01%

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

Last update for Karaj: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Karaj and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 551% 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: $18.00 in Karaj vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $108 vs $269 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

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

Karaj vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaj and Lisbon differ by about 318% in total monthly costs ($541 vs $2,263 including rent). Karaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 551% less. 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: $364 in Karaj versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 149% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Karaj – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $541 in Karaj versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaj but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Karaj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 318% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.