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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $739 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,157 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,575 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 210% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while 'aqrah is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$4.17 IQD 5,454

288.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$24.73 IQD 32.4K

156.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$6.71 IQD 8,791

53.80%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.54 IQD 3,331

11.42%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.39 IQD 517

487.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.18 IQD 240

777.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.90 IQD 3,792

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.89 IQD 3,783

39.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.36 IQD 1,776

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.80 IQD 1,044

118.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.66 IQD 2,171

6.02%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.79 IQD 2,340

77.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$4.54 IQD 5,941

190.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$4.58 IQD 6,000

74.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$13.11 IQD 17.2K

18.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.20 IQD 1,566

97.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.19 IQD 1,565

43.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.02 IQD 1,330

97.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.69 IQD 900

252.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.65 IQD 853

170.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.66 IQD 868

207.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.64 IQD 834

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.56 IQD 729

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.95 IQD 2,554

237.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.84 IQD 2,406

-27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.17 IQD 2,842

36.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.37 IQD 478

516.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

46.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.32 IQD 3,035

82.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.47 IQD 1,929

-44.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$5.92 IQD 7,748

211.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.57 IQD 750

264.91%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

80.66%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

93.19%

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

$148 €130

$76.5 IQD 100.1K

93.58%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$17.72 IQD 23.2K

15.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$34.91 IQD 45.7K

13.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$36.87 IQD 48.3K

30.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

8.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$7.86 IQD 10.3K

17.30%

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

$616 €539

$153 IQD 200.3K

302.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

404.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$26.64 IQD 34.9K

285.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

64.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

56.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

199.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$242 IQD 317.0K

574.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$176 IQD 230.4K

600.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$578 IQD 756.8K

436.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$339 IQD 443.7K

499.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in 'aqrah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 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 210% 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 $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,109 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 $2,291 in Lisbon and $739 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 $739, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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 $739 versus $2,291 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.