Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ba'qubah Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ba'qubah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $642 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $990 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,338 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 257% more expensive than in Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Ba'qubah is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$5.07 IQD 6,639

219.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

315.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$6.65 IQD 8,711

55.19%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.17 IQD 1,531

141.88%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.48 IQD 628

377.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.20 IQD 258

690.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.95 IQD 2,552

74.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.11 IQD 2,764

91.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.12 IQD 1,465

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.60 IQD 782

191.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.16 IQD 1,523

51.72%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.46 IQD 1,918

117.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$2.28 IQD 2,984

478.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$2.47 IQD 3,241

222.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

46.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$0.99 IQD 1,300

139.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.17 IQD 1,527

46.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.93 IQD 1,211

116.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.58 IQD 764

318.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.59 IQD 771

198.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.66 IQD 861

207.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.50 IQD 659

284.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.18 IQD 232

372.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.65 IQD 3,465

148.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$12.26 IQD 16.1K

-54.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.38 IQD 1,802

-3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.93 IQD 2,532

53.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.37 IQD 484

516.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$30.51 IQD 40.0K

50.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.25 IQD 2,953

88.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.14 IQD 2,801

-62.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$5.31 IQD 6,952

247.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.33 IQD 426

530.30%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

78.00%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

93.65%

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

$148 €130

$58.2 IQD 76.2K

154.34%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$17.75 IQD 23.2K

15.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$27.19 IQD 35.6K

45.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$18.92 IQD 24.8K

153.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$16.74 IQD 21.9K

11.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$3.87 IQD 5,073

138.24%

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

$616 €540

$27.04 IQD 35.4K

2178.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$636 IQD 832.7K

2485.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

426.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$19.22 IQD 25.2K

117.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$81.3 IQD 106.4K

16.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$26.50 IQD 34.7K

360.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$246 IQD 321.8K

564.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$182 IQD 238.4K

576.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$575 IQD 752.4K

439.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$350 IQD 457.7K

481.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$759 IQD 993.8K

931.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$190 IQD 249.3K

2205.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$726 IQD 951.0K

121.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.67

-32.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ba'qubah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 121% 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 $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $140 per month, with Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 257% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 121% 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 $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $642 in Ba'qubah versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 257% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.