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 $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $686 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $949 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 447% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while El Mahalla El Kubra is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$4.26 E£217

306.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$14.91 E£758

324.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$3.07 E£156

271.01%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$1.36 E£69.0

134.56%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.32 E£16.12

665.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.12 E£6.28

1366.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.39 E£70.8

158.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.91 E£148

16.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.85 E£43.44

45.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.29 E£14.62

582.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.57 E£29.25

166.67%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.23 E£62.8

228.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$2.98 E£151

354.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$4.10 E£208

104.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$7.61 E£387

139.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.60 E£81.5

43.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.67 E£34.19

159.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.51 E£25.87

264.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.37 E£19.02

610.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.27 E£13.79

611.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.33 E£16.92

533.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.29 E£14.86

396.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.22 E£11.21

281.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$1.93 E£98.4

251.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$6.00 E£305

-4.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.31 E£66.8

5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.69 E£137

-17.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.17 E£8.76

1311.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.33 E£16.64

1163.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.45 E£22.92

153.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$0.94 E£47.81

1780.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.40 E£20.35

480.00%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$32.8K E£1.7M

7.69%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$23.6K E£1.2M

75.64%

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

$170 €146

$14.19 E£722

1100.35%

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

$19.34 €16.63

$4.12 E£210

369.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$8.95 E£455

275.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$17.98 E£915

167.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$2.99 E£152

231.77%

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

$717 €617

$32.73 E£1,665

2091.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$2,190 E£111.4K

698.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$17.20 E£875

509.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.37

$45.15 E£2,297

3.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$107 E£5,450

-3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$55.9 E£2,841

121.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$130 E£6,627

1186.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$74.2 E£3,775

1612.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$263 E£13.4K

1036.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$154 E£7,824

1195.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,729

$787 E£40.0K

894.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,005

$409 E£20.8K

1038.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

21.33

-82.23%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $130 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 $15.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $116 – 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: $2,316 in Lisbon, $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 447% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $636 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 $2,316 in Lisbon and $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $717 per month in Lisbon and $32.73 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 $424, than in Lisbon at $2,316. 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 $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $2,316 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.