Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and 'aqrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and 'aqrah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $733 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,160 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,588 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 202% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while 'aqrah is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$4.13 IQD 5,405

285.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$25.33 IQD 33.2K

155.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.94 IQD 9,082

51.44%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.56 IQD 3,354

12.11%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.36 IQD 478

522.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.21 IQD 270

614.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.86 IQD 3,746

22.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.79 IQD 3,656

39.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.36 IQD 1,783

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.84 IQD 1,099

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.60 IQD 2,096

10.00%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.81 IQD 2,372

77.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$4.38 IQD 5,736

207.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.74 IQD 6,201

66.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

19.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.14 IQD 1,487

102.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.15 IQD 1,507

47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.05 IQD 1,379

91.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.69 IQD 906

256.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.69 IQD 905

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.68 IQD 893

194.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.67 IQD 877

188.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.52 IQD 675

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.88 IQD 2,466

251.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.80 IQD 2,352

-23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.17 IQD 2,838

36.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.39 IQD 513

507.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

46.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$2.28 IQD 2,988

88.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.52 IQD 1,994

-46.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$6.14 IQD 8,041

198.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.54 IQD 706

281.48%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

78.46%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

100.90%

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

$148 €127

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

91.74%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$17.98 IQD 23.5K

14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

12.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

32.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

12.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$7.76 IQD 10.2K

18.30%

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

$614 €528

$154 IQD 202.1K

297.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

392.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

283.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

64.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

52.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$41.75 IQD 54.7K

186.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$242 IQD 316.5K

573.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$177 IQD 231.7K

609.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$581 IQD 760.9K

421.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$348 IQD 456.1K

480.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.67

-32.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $242 in 'aqrah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in 'aqrah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $158 – making 'aqrah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs 'aqrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 202% more than 'aqrah, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,099 in 'aqrah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in 'aqrah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $733 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% less in 'aqrah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in 'aqrah, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In 'aqrah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. 'aqrah costs $733 versus $2,210 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with 'aqrah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.