Cost of Living Comparison Between Karakol and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Karakol and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $441 in Karakol versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $653 in Karakol versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $864 in Karakol versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Karakol costs roughly 81% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karakol is 68% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KGS 199

$17.30 €14.89

-86.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.20 KGS 804

$63.3 €54.4

-85.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

Cappuccino

$1.74 KGS 152

$3.19 €2.75

-45.45%

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

$0.59 KGS 51.9

$2.45 €2.10

-75.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 KGS 26.44

$1.76 €1.52

-82.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 KGS 97.0

$3.59 €3.09

-69.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$3.39 €2.92

-50.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 KGS 67.4

$1.24 €1.06

-37.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$1.98 €1.71

-87.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 KGS 119

$1.52 €1.31

-10.53%

Eggs

$1.67 KGS 146

$4.04 €3.48

-58.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 KGS 597

$13.54 €11.65

-49.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 KGS 358

$8.39 €7.22

-51.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.88 KGS 514

$18.25 €15.70

-67.78%

Apples (1kg)

$0.79 KGS 69.0

$2.29 €1.97

-65.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 KGS 121

$1.74 €1.50

-20.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KGS 97.0

$2.63 €2.26

-57.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.9

$1.92 €1.65

-69.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 KGS 30.77

$1.44 €1.24

-75.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 KGS 51.2

$0.84 €0.72

-29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 KGS 152

$6.78 €5.83

-74.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 KGS 453

$5.71 €4.91

-9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 101

$1.38 €1.18

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 KGS 205

$2.22 €1.91

5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 KGS 14.98

$2.40 €2.06

-92.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 KGS 111

$4.17 €3.59

-69.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 KGS 89.1

$2.32 €2.00

-56.03%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.7K

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

$39.52 KGS 3,455

$170 €147

-76.80%

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

$4.35 KGS 380

$19.34 €16.64

-77.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.98 KGS 873

$33.64 €28.95

-70.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.53 KGS 1,357

$48.10 €41.39

-67.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

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

$91.7 KGS 8,015

$717 €617

-87.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.61 KGS 3,026

$124 €107

-72.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 KGS 20.3K

$1,677 €1,443

-86.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 KGS 14.7K

$1,271 €1,094

-86.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 KGS 25.4K

$2,985 €2,568

-90.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 KGS 24.5K

$1,992 €1,715

-85.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Karakol: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $233 in Karakol and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $9.00 in Karakol vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $283 per month, with Karakol 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

Karakol vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karakol and Lisbon differ by about 425% in total monthly costs ($441 vs $2,316 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $661 in Karakol and $3,474 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $233 in Karakol versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $441 per month in Karakol versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 425% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $441 in Karakol versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karakol but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Karakol 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, Karakol 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 Karakol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 425% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.