Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Al Khobar

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Khobar: $1,405 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Al Khobar
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,405
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Al Khobar

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 Al Khobar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $1,405 in Al Khobar.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Al Khobar $1,405

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $2,186 in Al Khobar.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Al Khobar $2,186

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $2,967 in Al Khobar.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Al Khobar $2,967

Living in Lisbon is roughly 58% more expensive than in Al Khobar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Al Khobar 4% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$6.53 SAR 24.51
152.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$59.2 SAR 222
3.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$7.86 SAR 29.50
43.38%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.74 SAR 10.28
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.68 SAR 10.05
-
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$4.48 SAR 16.79
-31.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$0.87 SAR 3.25
159.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.38 SAR 1.42
355.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.70 SAR 6.38
-34.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.28 SAR 4.80
45.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$2.46 SAR 9.24
-37.80%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$2.32 SAR 8.69
70.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$7.15 SAR 26.84
78.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$10.24 SAR 38.43
-22.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$11.69 SAR 43.86
45.17%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.62 SAR 9.83
-13.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.76 SAR 6.59
-0.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.98 SAR 7.43
-6.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$1.77 SAR 6.64
45.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.36 SAR 5.11
36.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.66 SAR 6.24
21.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.66 SAR 6.23
-13.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$0.53 SAR 2.01
54.72%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.63 SAR 9.88
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.59 SAR 5.98
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.84 SAR 6.91
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$6.66 SAR 25.00
-1.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.73 SAR 2.75
221.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$67.2 SAR 252
-34.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$3.23 SAR 12.14
23.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$2.72 SAR 10.20
-59.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$6.48 SAR 24.31
156.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.63 SAR 2.37
261.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$66.3K SAR 248.6K
-49.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$22.5K SAR 84.6K
74.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$99.6 SAR 374
68.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$33.32 SAR 125
-43.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$70.5 SAR 265
-53.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$82.0 SAR 308
-43.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$37.23 SAR 140
-48.46%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$15.07 SAR 56.6
-34.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$589 SAR 2,210
14.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$8,524 SAR 32.0K
98.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$62.0 SAR 233
63.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$83.0 SAR 312
-44.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$97.2 SAR 365
2.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$93.9 SAR 352
30.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$630 SAR 2,363
156.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$499 SAR 1,873
139.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$1,187 SAR 4,454
141.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$860 SAR 3,226
131.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$2,404 SAR 9,020
215.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$1,444 SAR 5,417
198.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Al Khobar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$1,829 SAR 6,864
-13.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.88
-34.52%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Al Khobar
$499 58.3% $698
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Al Khobar
$217 19.3% $52
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Al Khobar
$135 44.5% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Al Khobar
$203 7.3% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Al Khobar
$151 9.1% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Al Khobar
$112 70.7% $46
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Al Khobar
$87 38.1% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $630 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $217 per month, with Al Khobar cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇸🇦 Al Khobar
🕒 Local time
01:15 1:15 AM
03:15 3:15 AM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
219,679
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Al Khobar 5,630 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Al Khobar

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 Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Al Khobar?
Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Al Khobar?
On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Al Khobar. 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 compared to Al Khobar?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $630 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Lisbon compared to Al Khobar?
A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 52% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and in Al Khobar?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $589 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or in Al Khobar?
At $1,405 in Al Khobar versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Al Khobar?
Both work as nomad bases, but Al Khobar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,405 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Khobar hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Al Khobar?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Al Khobar 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 Al Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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