Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Al-Rumaitha

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-Rumaitha: $650 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Al-Rumaitha
🇮🇶 Iraq
$650
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Al-Rumaitha

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-Rumaitha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $650 in Al-Rumaitha.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Al-Rumaitha $650

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $1,027 in Al-Rumaitha.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Al-Rumaitha $1,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $1,403 in Al-Rumaitha.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Al-Rumaitha $1,403

Living in Lisbon is roughly 242% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Al-Rumaitha is 52% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$3.62 IQD 5,465
355.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$23.11 IQD 34.9K
165.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$7.08 IQD 10.7K
59.18%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$2.33 IQD 3,523
31.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$0.31 IQD 471
629.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.19 IQD 286
810.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$2.91 IQD 4,398
16.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$2.60 IQD 3,936
30.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.86 IQD 1,298
30.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$0.78 IQD 1,185
138.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.37 IQD 2,063
11.68%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$1.58 IQD 2,392
150.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$4.09 IQD 6,174
211.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$3.61 IQD 5,449
118.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$12.06 IQD 18.2K
40.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.92 IQD 1,384
146.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$0.95 IQD 1,428
84.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$0.84 IQD 1,268
120.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$0.66 IQD 1,002
289.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$0.56 IQD 844
232.14%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$0.56 IQD 849
260.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$0.56 IQD 839
157.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$0.47 IQD 717
74.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$1.63 IQD 2,468
302.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$10.70 IQD 16.2K
-47.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.40 IQD 2,120
-8.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$1.78 IQD 2,691
16.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.42 IQD 639
459.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$22.08 IQD 33.4K
100.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$1.80 IQD 2,724
121.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.34 IQD 2,031
-18.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$4.81 IQD 7,268
245.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.51 IQD 766
347.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$14.9K IQD 22.6M
125.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$16.9K IQD 25.5M
132.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$88.6 IQD 133.9K
89.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$12.11 IQD 18.3K
55.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$24.88 IQD 37.6K
33.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$37.29 IQD 56.3K
23.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$3.39 IQD 5,120
466.08%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$9.20 IQD 13.9K
6.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$128 IQD 193.8K
428.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$2,684 IQD 4.1M
530.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$20.77 IQD 31.4K
387.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$21.12 IQD 31.9K
116.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$46.80 IQD 70.7K
113.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$30.79 IQD 46.5K
298.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$178 IQD 269.0K
806.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$128 IQD 194.1K
831.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$373 IQD 564.1K
666.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$308 IQD 465.9K
545.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$629 IQD 951.1K
1103.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$532 IQD 803.7K
709.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Al-Rumaitha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.33
15.62%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Al-Rumaitha
$128 89.3% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Al-Rumaitha
$154 42.7% $115
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Al-Rumaitha
$100 58.7% $142
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Al-Rumaitha
$126 42.8% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Al-Rumaitha
$54 67.7% $113
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Al-Rumaitha
$56 15.2% $10
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Al-Rumaitha
$32 48.7% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $178 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $23.00 in Al-Rumaitha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $154 per month, with Al-Rumaitha cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇮🇶 Al-Rumaitha
🕒 Local time
02:04 2:04 AM
04:04 4:04 AM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
115,431
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Al-Rumaitha 4,930 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Al-Rumaitha

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-Rumaitha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al-Rumaitha cheaper than Lisbon?
Al-Rumaitha is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 242% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,335 in Lisbon and $975 in Al-Rumaitha to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Al-Rumaitha?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $178 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Al-Rumaitha?
All in, you'll spend $2,223 per month in Lisbon versus $650 in Al-Rumaitha – a 242% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 100% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Al-Rumaitha?
At $650 in Al-Rumaitha versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Rumaitha but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Rumaitha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lisbon or Al-Rumaitha more family-friendly?
For families, Al-Rumaitha 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.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Al-Rumaitha?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Al-Rumaitha 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Al-Rumaitha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 242% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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