Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ar-rass

For one person, living is cheaper in Ar-rass: $1,154 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Ar-rass
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,154
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Ar-rass

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $1,154 in Ar-rass.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Ar-rass $1,154

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $1,690 in Ar-rass.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Ar-rass $1,690

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $2,226 in Ar-rass.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Ar-rass $2,226

Living in Lisbon is roughly 93% more expensive than in Ar-rass, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Ar-rass is 15% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Ar-rass
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$6.16 SAR 23.12
167.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$37.47 SAR 141
63.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$7.90 SAR 29.65
42.66%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.89 SAR 7.07
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.29 SAR 8.58
-
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$3.25 SAR 12.18
-5.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$0.91 SAR 3.41
148.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.26 SAR 0.98
565.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Ar-rass
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.81 SAR 6.81
-38.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$0.39 SAR 1.45
376.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.92 SAR 7.19
-20.31%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$3.60 SAR 13.52
10.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$7.00 SAR 26.28
82.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$8.05 SAR 30.20
-1.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$12.79 SAR 47.99
32.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.24 SAR 8.41
1.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.76 SAR 6.60
-0.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.57 SAR 5.91
17.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$1.57 SAR 5.89
63.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.16 SAR 4.37
60.34%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.36 SAR 5.11
48.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.28 SAR 4.79
12.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$0.57 SAR 2.14
43.86%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.26 SAR 12.24
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.99 SAR 7.46
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.26 SAR 8.49
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$7.53 SAR 28.27
-12.88%
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
Ar-rass
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.98 SAR 3.69
139.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$34.39 SAR 129
28.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$2.59 SAR 9.72
54.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.87 SAR 7.02
-41.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$11.84 SAR 44.42
40.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.65 SAR 2.44
250.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$43.1K SAR 161.7K
-21.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$20.9K SAR 78.3K
88.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Ar-rass
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$110 SAR 414
51.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$23.87 SAR 89.6
-21.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$59.0 SAR 221
-43.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Ar-rass
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$44.88 SAR 168
2.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$13.43 SAR 50.4
-26.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Ar-rass
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$425 SAR 1,595
59.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$8,688 SAR 32.6K
94.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Ar-rass
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$42.84 SAR 161
136.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$62.4 SAR 234
-26.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$96.1 SAR 360
4.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$87.6 SAR 329
40.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Ar-rass
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$579 SAR 2,174
178.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$394 SAR 1,480
203.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$388 SAR 1,456
637.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$563 SAR 2,111
253.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$2,625 SAR 9,851
188.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$1,188 SAR 4,460
262.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Ar-rass
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$1,765 SAR 6,622
-10.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.54
-30.51%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Ar-rass
$394 67.1% $803
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Ar-rass
$198 26.6% $72
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Ar-rass
$117 51.8% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Ar-rass
$193 12% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Ar-rass
$130 21.9% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Ar-rass
$72 9.2% $6.1
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Ar-rass
$50 20.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $579 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 11% 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 $37.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $198 per month, with Ar-rass cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇸🇦 Ar-rass
🕒 Local time
15:27 3:27 PM
17:27 5:27 PM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
121,359
💱 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 Ar-rass 5,080 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Ar-rass

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 Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Ar-rass?
Lisbon and Ar-rass differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $1,154 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Ar-rass. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Ar-rass?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $579 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Ar-rass?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $425 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,154 in Ar-rass versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Ar-rass?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Ar-rass safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Ar-rass are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Ar-rass?
Expats usually find Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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