Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and El Mahalla El Kubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and El Mahalla El Kubra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $691 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $948 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 428% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while El Mahalla El Kubra is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$3.52 E£180

359.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$14.01 E£715

352.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$3.94 E£201

161.93%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$0.95 E£48.75

197.89%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.29 E£14.73

689.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.11 E£5.74

1336.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.18 E£60.1

188.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.90 E£148

38.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.81 E£41.35

34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.29 E£14.55

503.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.53 E£27.22

232.08%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.40 E£71.5

126.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$2.43 E£124

442.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.27 E£218

86.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$7.36 E£375

111.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.29 E£65.7

83.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.54 E£27.59

216.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.43 E£21.92

367.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.27 E£13.86

800.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.32 E£16.54

450.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.41 E£20.92

395.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.24 E£12.28

700.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.17 E£8.69

400.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.98 E£101

232.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$5.90 E£301

-5.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.40 E£71.5

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.59 E£132

14.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.19 E£9.81

1100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.39 E£19.88

984.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.11 E£5.55

636.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$1.01 E£51.3

1725.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.32 E£16.58

550.00%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$36.1K E£1.8M

-3.93%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$33.3K E£1.7M

17.70%

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

$148 €130

$11.53 E£589

1184.04%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$5.73 E£293

257.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$9.84 E£502

302.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$21.96 E£1,121

118.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$2.94 E£150

213.61%

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

$616 €540

$33.28 E£1,699

1751.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,818 E£92.8K

804.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$18.04 E£921

469.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$43.55 E£2,223

-4.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$109 E£5,561

-13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$49.70 E£2,537

145.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$191 E£9,775

752.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$100 E£5,106

1132.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$310 E£15.8K

898.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$178 E£9,107

1038.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$900 E£46.0K

769.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$447 E£22.8K

881.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-77.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $191 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $14.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $111 – making El Mahalla El Kubra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 El Mahalla El Kubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon, $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 428% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $651 in El Mahalla El Kubra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Mahalla El Kubra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,291 in Lisbon and $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $33.28 in El Mahalla El Kubra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Mahalla El Kubra, where all-in costs run around $434, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In El Mahalla El Kubra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $2,291 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 El Mahalla El Kubra. 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.