Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 293% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Islamabad is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$3.57 PKR 990

384.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$22.74 PKR 6,309

178.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$5.47 PKR 1,517

108.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.39 PKR 663

33.47%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.32 PKR 90.0

665.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.22 PKR 60.8

700.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.99 PKR 275

25.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.79 PKR 220

150.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.28 PKR 354

18.75%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.28 PKR 356

215.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$6.11 PKR 1,695

121.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$3.06 PKR 849

174.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$5.12 PKR 1,421

256.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.34 PKR 371

70.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.84 PKR 232

107.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.02 PKR 282

82.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.49 PKR 135

436.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.29 PKR 81.2

562.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.33 PKR 90.4

533.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.29 PKR 80.8

396.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.38 PKR 106

121.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.28 PKR 632

197.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.16 PKR 44.31

1400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$21.23 PKR 5,889

120.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.27 PKR 353

228.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.69 PKR 191

65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$1.65 PKR 459

971.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.32 PKR 365

75.76%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-34.50%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

65.09%

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

$170 €146

$102 PKR 28.3K

66.83%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$5.83 PKR 1,618

231.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$16.34 PKR 4,534

105.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$29.09 PKR 8,071

65.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$8.93 PKR 2,478

122.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$5.01 PKR 1,390

98.00%

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

$717 €617

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

855.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

243.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$23.55 PKR 6,532

344.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$32.68 PKR 9,066

43.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

215.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$277 PKR 76.8K

505.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$144 PKR 40.0K

781.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$577 PKR 160.1K

417.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$266 PKR 73.9K

648.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

378.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$829 PKR 230.1K

461.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$381 PKR 105.8K

314.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

13.08

-71.02%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $277 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 315% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $103 – making Islamabad 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 Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 293%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $884 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 176% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $23.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Islamabad. 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.