๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $1,206 in Ad Dammam.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,886 in Ad Dammam.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $2,565 in Ad Dammam.
๐Living in Lisbon is roughly 86% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 67% above, Ad Dammam is 10% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.73โฌ13.42
$7.36SARย 27.62
113.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.2โฌ53.9
$54.1SARย 203
16.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.32โฌ8.80
$7.76SARย 29.08
32.99%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.92SARย 7.21
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.83SARย 6.87
-
Cappuccino
$2.81โฌ2.40
$3.57SARย 13.39
-21.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33โฌ1.99
$0.90SARย 3.39
158.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51โฌ1.29
$0.34SARย 1.29
344.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.37โฌ2.87
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91โฌ3.34
-
-
๐ Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.08โฌ0.92
$1.70SARย 6.39
-36.47%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75โฌ1.49
$1.46SARย 5.48
19.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.75โฌ1.50
$2.08SARย 7.81
-15.87%
Eggs
$3.10โฌ2.64
$2.28SARย 8.53
35.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.28โฌ11.33
$6.01SARย 22.55
120.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.85โฌ6.70
$7.43SARย 27.86
5.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.05โฌ13.69
$9.65SARย 36.19
66.32%
Apples(1kg)
$2.39โฌ2.04
$2.12SARย 7.96
12.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72โฌ1.47
$1.54SARย 5.79
11.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.97โฌ1.68
$1.45SARย 5.44
35.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.55โฌ2.17
$1.59SARย 5.97
60.38%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79โฌ1.53
$1.28SARย 4.80
39.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.97โฌ1.68
$1.38SARย 5.19
42.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.96โฌ1.67
$1.31SARย 4.93
49.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84โฌ0.71
$0.58SARย 2.18
44.83%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$4.26SARย 15.96
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.55SARย 5.82
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.95SARย 7.31
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.82โฌ5.82
$8.19SARย 30.71
-16.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.85โฌ4.99
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38โฌ1.18
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92โฌ2.49
-
-
๐ Getting Around
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.29โฌ1.95
$0.94SARย 3.54
143.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.88โฌ39.99
$39.77SARย 149
17.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.12โฌ3.51
$3.39SARย 12.73
21.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.81โฌ0.69
$2.69SARย 10.07
-69.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.94โฌ16.16
$13.09SARย 49.07
44.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.09โฌ1.78
$0.65SARย 2.44
221.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1Kโฌ30.0K
$22.8KSARย 85.3K
54.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7Kโฌ33.9K
$21.1KSARย 79.1K
88.20%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$150โฌ128
$117SARย 440
27.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.49โฌ17.48
$38.77SARย 145
-47.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.15โฌ33.40
$63.6SARย 238
-38.43%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.65โฌ42.35
$70.4SARย 264
-29.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.47โฌ15.76
$30.59SARย 115
-39.62%
Cinema Ticket
$9.20โฌ7.84
$15.53SARย 58.2
-40.76%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$624โฌ533
$415SARย 1,556
50.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9Kโฌ13.6K
$8,100SARย 30.4K
96.37%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102โฌ87.2
$66.6SARย 250
53.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.88โฌ34.87
$67.1SARย 252
-39.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.7โฌ81.6
$93.0SARย 349
2.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121โฌ103
$85.7SARย 321
41.36%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,653โฌ1,410
$443SARย 1,661
273.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,233โฌ1,051
$381SARย 1,427
223.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,043โฌ2,596
$789SARย 2,959
285.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,059โฌ1,756
$636SARย 2,385
223.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,879โฌ6,720
$899SARย 3,370
776.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,303โฌ3,671
$758SARย 2,843
467.60%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Ad Dammam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,566โฌ1,336
$2,009SARย 7,532
-22.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.81
4.33
-12.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026
Last update for Ad Dammam: April 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $443 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐAd Dammam pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
๐Dining out: $63 in Lisbon vs $54 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $186 per month, with Ad Dammam 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
Lisbon vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Ad Dammam?
Ad Dammam wins on cost โ living expenses run 86% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or Ad Dammam?
On paper, Ad Dammam earns 28% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon vs Ad Dammam?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $443 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to Ad Dammam?
All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $1,206 in Ad Dammam โ a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Lisbon vs Ad Dammam?
A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 18% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or Ad Dammam?
At $1,206 in Ad Dammam versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Ad Dammam?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value โ similar infrastructure at $1,206 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Ad Dammam?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Ad Dammam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 86% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.