Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ardabil Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ardabil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $594 in Ardabil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $937 in Ardabil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,279 in Ardabil.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Ardabil is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$5.44 $5.44

192.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$17.15 $17.15

277.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$5.79 $5.79

81.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 $1.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.50 $1.50

91.33%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.45 $0.45

397.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.52 $0.52

188.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.74 $0.74

54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.58 $0.58

201.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.04 $3.04

-42.11%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.14 $1.14

182.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.01 $6.01

124.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.34 $3.34

136.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$10.07 $10.07

57.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.80 $1.80

28.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.58 $1.58

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.85 $1.85

8.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.05 $1.05

134.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.03 $1.03

78.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.76 $0.76

163.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.18 $1.18

63.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.23 $0.23

243.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.59 $0.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.26 $1.26

424.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.18 $0.18

1216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$10.02 $10.02

354.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.33 $0.33

1200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.29 $0.29

182.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.01 $2.01

810.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.78 $0.78

164.10%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$72.1K $72.1K

-52.47%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$55.2K $55.2K

-28.82%

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

$148 €127

$15.66 $15.66

844.25%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$2.07 $2.07

891.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$5.91 $5.91

570.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$23.13 $23.13

106.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$12.45 $12.45

51.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$1.46 $1.46

528.77%

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

$614 €528

$117 $117

423.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,949 $1,949

723.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$38.99 $38.99

168.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$22.44 $22.44

87.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$111 $111

-15.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$70.3 $70.3

70.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$335 $335

385.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$200 $200

526.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$683 $683

343.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$319 $319

532.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,075 $1,075

625.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$664 $664

543.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

22.24

-82.87%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ardabil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $335 in Ardabil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $17.00 in Ardabil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $138 per month, with Ardabil 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 Ardabil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ardabil 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.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $891 in Ardabil 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $335 in Ardabil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ardabil runs roughly 355% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $117 in Ardabil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $594 in Ardabil versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ardabil but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ardabil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ardabil 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 Ardabil 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 Ardabil 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.