Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ar-rustaq Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ar-rustaq

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,322 per month in Lisbon vs $929 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,409 per month in Lisbon vs $1,416 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,496 per month in Lisbon vs $1,903 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 150% more than Ar-rustaq, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Ar-rustaq is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.63

$5.31 OMR 2.04

222.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 €54.8

$34.09 OMR 13.12

88.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.02

$8.31 OMR 3.20

40.91%

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.69

$4.94 OMR 1.90

-36.44%

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

$2.51 €2.14

$0.85 OMR 0.33

195.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.42

$0.29 OMR 0.11

472.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.01

$13.20 OMR 5.08

-73.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.88

$12.98 OMR 5.00

-74.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €0.99

$2.41 OMR 0.93

-51.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.73

$1.24 OMR 0.48

62.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.89 OMR 0.73

-16.40%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.46

$2.98 OMR 1.15

35.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 €10.96

$7.98 OMR 3.07

60.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 €6.86

$6.64 OMR 2.56

20.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 €14.57

$10.16 OMR 3.91

67.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.16 OMR 0.83

-7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.28

$1.21 OMR 0.47

120.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.19 OMR 0.46

59.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.27 OMR 0.49

55.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.81 OMR 0.70

-20.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.61 OMR 0.23

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.84

$6.57 OMR 2.53

3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.73 €4.90

$15.59 OMR 6.00

-63.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$5.45 OMR 2.10

-75.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.83

$9.12 OMR 3.51

-76.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.94 €39.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 €3.63

$3.33 OMR 1.28

27.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.95

$2.66 OMR 1.02

-58.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 €15.39

$8.00 OMR 3.08

124.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.88

$0.64 OMR 0.25

243.75%

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

$35.2K €30.1K

$25.8K OMR 9,917

36.66%

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

$40.0K €34.2K

$23.0K OMR 8,866

73.86%

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

$171 €146

$169 OMR 65.0

1.31%

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

$19.61 €16.78

$31.03 OMR 11.95

-36.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.19 €28.39

$70.1 OMR 26.99

-52.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 €41.02

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 €17.01

Cinema Ticket

$10.12 €8.66

$10.73 OMR 4.13

-5.68%

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

$700 €599

$286 OMR 110

144.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €14.8K

$10.7K OMR 4,126

61.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €93.4

$56.9 OMR 21.90

91.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.84 €40.92

$43.20 OMR 16.63

10.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$92.5 OMR 35.59

14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$94.9 OMR 36.54

32.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 €1,461

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 €1,082

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 €2,543

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 €1,711

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,013 €6,855

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,871

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,663 €1,422

$4,383 OMR 1,688

-62.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.73

5.25

-28.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 15, 2026

Last update for Ar-rustaq: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 164% higher in Ar-rustaq, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon versus $34.00 in Ar-rustaq. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Lisbon vs $284 in Ar-rustaq – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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-rustaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 150%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,483 per month in Lisbon and $1,393 in Ar-rustaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,322 in Lisbon and $929 in Ar-rustaq. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $700 per month in Lisbon and $286 in Ar-rustaq. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ar-rustaq, where all-in costs run around $929, than in Lisbon at $2,322. In Ar-rustaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ar-rustaq – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ar-rustaq. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.