Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Al-mawsil Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Al-mawsil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $617 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $827 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,038 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 272% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Al-mawsil is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$7.55 IQD 9,891

132.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

408.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$5.61 IQD 7,344

106.42%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$0.75 IQD 981

313.33%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.37 IQD 484

572.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.19 IQD 252

815.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$0.97 IQD 1,265

258.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.51 IQD 1,982

127.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.78 IQD 1,015

47.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.73 IQD 959

161.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.62 IQD 815

141.94%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.13 IQD 1,482

252.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$7.97 IQD 10.4K

66.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$3.48 IQD 4,551

130.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

95.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$0.73 IQD 956

221.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.74 IQD 965

136.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$0.60 IQD 781

208.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.28 IQD 368

810.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.32 IQD 425

475.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.37 IQD 482

467.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.78 IQD 1,028

91.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.59 IQD 772

38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$1.87 IQD 2,444

279.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

-52.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.69 IQD 2,210

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.08 IQD 2,720

2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.39 IQD 514

505.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

52.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.85 IQD 2,426

120.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.82 IQD 2,382

-37.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$4.54 IQD 5,945

276.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.33 IQD 430

600.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

123.75%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

132.85%

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

$169 €147

$109 IQD 142.3K

55.09%

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

$19.33 €16.82

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

38.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$26.34 IQD 34.5K

27.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.50

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

112.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.91

$7.44 IQD 9,736

161.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

22.54%

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

$696 €606

$306 IQD 401.0K

127.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$688 IQD 900.4K

2423.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.6

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

453.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

209.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$70.5 IQD 92.3K

42.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$18.06 IQD 23.6K

589.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$113 IQD 148.3K

1367.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$76.3 IQD 100.0K

1532.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$301 IQD 393.7K

886.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,818

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,885

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$608 IQD 795.7K

168.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

2.53

49.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Al-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 169% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $152 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 272% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 169% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $306 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 272% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.