Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $674 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $1,091 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $1,508 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 238% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Al-'amarah is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$3.98 IQD 5,211

295.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$24.68 IQD 32.3K

157.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$7.02 IQD 9,188

48.86%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.58 IQD 3,374

12.79%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.40 IQD 519

472.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.21 IQD 274

614.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.99 IQD 3,917

19.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.82 IQD 3,693

40.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.81 IQD 2,374

-40.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.79 IQD 1,029

122.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.08 IQD 1,408

57.41%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.51 IQD 1,977

115.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$4.58 IQD 5,995

189.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$4.64 IQD 6,071

65.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

21.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$0.87 IQD 1,136

162.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.10 IQD 1,442

50.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.91 IQD 1,189

121.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$0.36 IQD 477

586.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.75 IQD 987

138.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.34 IQD 451

508.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.68 IQD 893

189.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.43 IQD 564

93.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$1.97 IQD 2,575

232.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.86 IQD 2,432

-28.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.14 IQD 2,803

40.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.40 IQD 521

467.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$30.59 IQD 40.1K

51.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$1.61 IQD 2,105

162.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.53 IQD 2,007

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$5.83 IQD 7,633

222.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.31 IQD 399

551.61%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

86.37%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

97.56%

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

$148 €128

$76.2 IQD 99.7K

94.24%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

15.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$34.10 IQD 44.6K

15.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

112.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$16.61 IQD 21.7K

10.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$7.46 IQD 9,772

21.98%

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

$615 €532

$152 IQD 198.4K

305.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

405.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

276.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$25.67 IQD 33.6K

63.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

53.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$41.26 IQD 54.0K

195.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$322 IQD 421.1K

401.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$134 IQD 175.5K

835.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$447 IQD 585.4K

586.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$347 IQD 454.1K

487.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$564 IQD 738.9K

1273.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$506 IQD 662.0K

216.85%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $322 in Al-'amarah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 217% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah 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 Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 238%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $1,010 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 74% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al-'amarah. 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.