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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 318% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Islamabad is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$2.80 PKR 779

468.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$14.22 PKR 3,955

355.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$5.44 PKR 1,512

93.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.00 PKR 557

43.50%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.43 PKR 119

420.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.22 PKR 61.1

581.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.94 PKR 260

21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.62 PKR 173

182.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.21 PKR 338

45.45%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.20 PKR 335

168.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.07 PKR 1,689

122.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.39 PKR 942

133.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$4.38 PKR 1,218

262.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.03 PKR 287

124.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.78 PKR 216

117.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.93 PKR 260

116.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.60 PKR 166

310.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.41 PKR 115

348.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.54 PKR 149

270.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.34 PKR 93.3

467.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.37 PKR 103

113.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$2.14 PKR 596

208.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.19 PKR 52.2

1147.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$6.90 PKR 1,921

560.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.86 PKR 238

398.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.44 PKR 122

86.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$2.81 PKR 782

551.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.91 PKR 253

126.37%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

59.36%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

50.27%

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

$148 €127

$112 PKR 31.1K

32.33%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$5.44 PKR 1,512

277.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$18.81 PKR 5,234

110.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$22.19 PKR 6,174

115.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$6.04 PKR 1,679

213.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$4.21 PKR 1,171

118.05%

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

$614 €529

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

918.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

472.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$21.57 PKR 5,999

385.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$27.63 PKR 7,686

52.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

199.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$198 PKR 55.1K

722.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$112 PKR 31.1K

1023.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$513 PKR 142.6K

491.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$296 PKR 82.3K

582.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

402.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$657 PKR 182.9K

549.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$387 PKR 107.8K

313.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

20.2

-81.14%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $198 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 314% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $98.0 – 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 318%, 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $794 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 175% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon and $14.00 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 $529, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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.