Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arak Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $420 in Arak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $660 in Arak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $900 in Arak.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 446% more expensive than in Arak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Arak is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$2.96 $2.96

446.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$14.08 $14.08

349.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$2.57 $2.57

301.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 $0.94

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.27 $1.27

122.83%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.37 $0.37

518.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.03 $1.03

53.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.59 $0.59

84.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.54 $0.54

224.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.94 $1.94

-9.28%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$0.96 $0.96

230.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$1.92 $1.92

586.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$1.87 $1.87

326.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$8.60 $8.60

80.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$0.84 $0.84

182.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.11 $1.11

54.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.63 $0.63

219.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.45 $0.45

440.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.41 $0.41

329.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.36 $0.36

463.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.34 $0.34

464.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.25 $0.25

240.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.63 $0.63

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 $0.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.80 $1.80

265.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.42 $0.42

442.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$9.80 $9.80

367.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.37 $0.37

1043.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.09 $0.09

800.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$1.24 $1.24

1387.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.37 $0.37

462.16%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$42.9K $42.9K

-19.27%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$38.6K $38.6K

1.33%

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

$148 €130

$10.12 $10.12

1362.94%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$1.98 $1.98

933.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$5.78 $5.78

584.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$12.89 $12.89

272.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$16.42 $16.42

13.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$1.02 $1.02

803.92%

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

$616 €540

$60.4 $60.4

920.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,961 $1,961

738.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$13.07 $13.07

685.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$8.13 $8.13

413.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$45.41 $45.41

108.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$44.21 $44.21

176.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$303 $303

438.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$192 $192

541.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$486 $486

536.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$304 $304

567.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,351 $1,351

479.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$521 $521

741.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$370 $370

334.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

18.33

-79.21%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Arak: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $303 in Arak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 335% 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 $14.00 in Arak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $86.0 per month, with Arak 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 Arak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 446% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 335% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $303 in Arak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $420 in Arak – a 446% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arak runs roughly 367% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $420 in Arak versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arak but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Arak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Arak 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 Arak 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 Arak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 446% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.