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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $630 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,038 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,446 in Al Kufah.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 260% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Al Kufah is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$4.83 IQD 6,320

263.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$34.07 IQD 44.6K

89.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.48 IQD 9,795

55.75%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.20 IQD 4,191

1.87%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.36 IQD 474

591.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.24 IQD 312

595.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.86 IQD 5,055

-10.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.89 IQD 5,100

-7.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.03 IQD 1,347

14.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.79 IQD 1,035

146.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.52 IQD 1,993

2.63%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.82 IQD 2,390

120.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$2.33 IQD 3,046

469.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.57 IQD 5,980

84.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$9.29 IQD 12.2K

96.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.75 IQD 976

209.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.05 IQD 1,370

64.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.61 IQD 801

216.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.56 IQD 739

371.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.51 IQD 668

272.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.33 IQD 431

539.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.20 IQD 267

620.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.55 IQD 716

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$1.59 IQD 2,077

340.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

-57.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.22 IQD 2,908

-38.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.21 IQD 2,893

-2.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.37 IQD 482

543.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.22 IQD 2,909

88.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.55 IQD 2,027

-29.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

124.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.58 IQD 762

287.93%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

77.60%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

112.68%

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

$171 €147

$218 IQD 285.9K

-21.72%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$21.02 IQD 27.5K

-9.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$22.69 IQD 29.7K

51.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$15.54 IQD 20.3K

219.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$9.96 IQD 13.0K

1.41%

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

$699 €603

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

861.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$2,401 IQD 3.1M

639.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$9.86 IQD 12.9K

960.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$29.84 IQD 39.1K

60.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$20.17 IQD 26.4K

405.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$34.50 IQD 45.2K

271.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$189 IQD 247.3K

779.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$250 IQD 327.9K

1064.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$204 IQD 266.8K

892.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$1,333 IQD 1.7M

509.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$382 IQD 499.8K

1114.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,017 IQD 1.3M

59.23%

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 5, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $189 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 59% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $157 per month, with Al Kufah 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 Al Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 260% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $189 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $630 in Al Kufah – a 260% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Al Kufah versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kufah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Al Kufah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 260% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.