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 $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $689 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $939 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 404% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while El Mahalla El Kubra is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$3.55 E£184

348.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$13.58 E£705

376.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$3.98 E£207

164.07%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$0.96 E£49.99

198.96%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.31 E£16.31

622.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.13 E£6.50

1053.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.16 E£60.2

200.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.02 E£157

28.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.79 E£41.06

44.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.29 E£15.03

503.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.58 E£30.30

203.45%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.45 E£75.2

122.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$2.50 E£130

439.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.34 E£225

82.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$7.32 E£380

116.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.29 E£67.1

79.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.58 E£29.98

193.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.42 E£21.84

378.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.27 E£14.04

811.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.35 E£18.34

425.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.40 E£20.82

400.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.22 E£11.38

777.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.20 E£10.55

295.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$1.90 E£98.7

247.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$5.70 E£296

0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.41 E£73.2

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.57 E£133

15.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.19 E£9.74

1147.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.41 E£21.50

946.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.11 E£5.86

645.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$0.95 E£49.37

1826.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.32 E£16.72

543.75%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$36.1K E£1.9M

-5.15%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$32.5K E£1.7M

20.81%

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

$148 €127

$11.10 E£576

1232.16%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$5.58 E£290

267.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$9.92 E£515

299.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$22.42 E£1,164

113.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$2.90 E£151

216.55%

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

$614 €529

$33.25 E£1,726

1746.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,840 E£95.5K

772.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$18.08 E£938

478.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$43.33 E£2,249

-2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$108 E£5,594

-12.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$49.98 E£2,594

139.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$193 E£10.0K

742.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$101 E£5,224

1147.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$306 E£15.9K

890.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$180 E£9,349

1021.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$785 E£40.7K

894.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$397 E£20.6K

974.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $193 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $14.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $112 – 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: $2,210 in Lisbon, $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 404% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $658 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $33.25 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 $438, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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 $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $2,210 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.