Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Al Hillah Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Al Hillah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $791 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $1,214 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $1,636 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 190% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Al Hillah is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$4.86 IQD 6,367

261.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$30.43 IQD 39.8K

106.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$5.95 IQD 7,788

94.62%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.05 IQD 3,993

1.64%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.37 IQD 480

572.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.22 IQD 289

690.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.83 IQD 3,705

22.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.93 IQD 5,144

-12.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.09 IQD 1,426

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.78 IQD 1,018

144.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.53 IQD 2,009

-1.96%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.81 IQD 2,368

119.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$3.97 IQD 5,203

234.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.74 IQD 6,202

68.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$14.24 IQD 18.6K

26.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.18 IQD 1,549

99.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.08 IQD 1,412

62.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.06 IQD 1,393

74.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.78 IQD 1,017

226.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.66 IQD 866

178.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.64 IQD 835

228.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.56 IQD 730

166.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.59 IQD 768

38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$1.83 IQD 2,400

287.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

-56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.24 IQD 2,937

-41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.20 IQD 2,875

-3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.39 IQD 513

505.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

$64.3 IQD 84.2K

-27.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.26 IQD 2,960

80.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.52 IQD 1,988

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$3.46 IQD 4,532

393.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.57 IQD 749

305.26%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$17.1K IQD 22.4M

99.24%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

117.45%

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

$169 €147

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

121.08%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

27.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$38.51 IQD 50.4K

-12.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$22.95 IQD 30.1K

112.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

$19.40 IQD 25.4K

0.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$7.55 IQD 9,889

26.75%

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

$696 €606

$94.9 IQD 124.3K

633.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$766 IQD 1.0M

2165.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$22.31 IQD 29.2K

371.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$24.74 IQD 32.4K

93.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$67.1 IQD 87.8K

49.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$47.37 IQD 62.0K

162.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$281 IQD 368.6K

490.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$180 IQD 235.5K

592.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$495 IQD 648.4K

498.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$291 IQD 380.8K

604.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

$1,717 IQD 2.2M

356.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

$555 IQD 726.2K

705.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$514 IQD 673.3K

217.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.12

-8.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $281 in Al Hillah. 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 $30.00 in Al Hillah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $186 – making Al Hillah 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 Hillah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 190%, 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 $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $1,187 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 38% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Lisbon and $94.9 in Al Hillah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hillah, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Al Hillah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hillah – 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 Hillah. 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.