Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Aktau

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktau: $790 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Aktau, Kazakhstan
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Aktau
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$790
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Aktau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Aktau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $790 in Aktau, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Aktau $790

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $1,315 in Aktau, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Aktau $1,315

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $1,840 in Aktau, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Aktau $1,840

Lisbon costs about 180% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Aktau is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$11.03 ₸5,023
50.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$43.54 ₸19.8K
41.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$9.90 ₸4,511
14.75%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.59 ₸1,182
14.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$0.79 ₸358
189.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.49 ₸223
255.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$1.37 ₸623
148.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$1.59 ₸723
108.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.47 ₸672
-21.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.50 ₸229
282.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.90 ₸864
-20.53%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$1.69 ₸771
137.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$10.02 ₸4,562
29.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$4.16 ₸1,893
86.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$8.58 ₸3,909
106.99%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$1.53 ₸696
50.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.32 ₸1,059
-25.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.34 ₸1,068
-20.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.78 ₸1,268
-6.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$0.66 ₸303
175.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$0.57 ₸261
245.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.48 ₸676
-0.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.91 ₸414
-20.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$2.59 ₸1,181
154.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$9.37 ₸4,267
-40.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$0.78 ₸356
74.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$0.92 ₸418
132.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.16 ₸70.7
1356.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.09 ₸498
253.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.64 ₸292
67.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$0.66 ₸302
233.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$31.4K ₸14.3M
23.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$45.62 ₸20.8K
253.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$8.07 ₸3,678
128.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$10.70 ₸4,872
205.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$36.05 ₸16.4K
23.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$3.03 ₸1,379
216.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$146 ₸66.5K
357.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$2,678 ₸1.2M
557.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$67.3 ₸30.7K
51.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$39.80 ₸18.1K
11.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$71.6 ₸32.6K
37.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$89.2 ₸40.6K
38.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$328 ₸149.6K
389.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$193 ₸88.1K
515.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$544 ₸247.7K
417.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$393 ₸179.0K
412.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$806 ₸367.3K
872.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$657 ₸299.1K
596.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Aktau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$553 ₸251.9K
184.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
14
-72.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Aktau: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Aktau
$193 83.7% $997
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Aktau
$200 26.5% $72
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Aktau
$164 32.3% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Aktau
$64 69.7% $148
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Aktau
$121 27.3% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Aktau
$42 34% $22
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Aktau
$4.9 * 92.2% $58

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $328 in Aktau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lisbon are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $44 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $200 – making Aktau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇰🇿 Aktau
🕒 Local time
10:04 10:04 AM
15:04 3:04 PM
5 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
273,830
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 456 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Aktau 4,970 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Aktau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Aktau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Aktau?
Lisbon costs about 180% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in Aktau?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,185 in Aktau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Aktau?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $328 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Aktau?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $44 in Aktau. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Aktau?
Groceries cost about 36% more in Lisbon, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Aktau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Aktau?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Lisbon or to Aktau?
If budget matters most, go with Aktau. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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