Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kabul Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kabul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $497 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $680 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $864 in Kabul.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 357% more expensive than in Kabul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Kabul is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$2.81 ؋181

524.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$7.70 ؋495

737.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$4.45 ؋286

161.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ؋119

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.11 ؋71.2

193.69%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.48 ؋30.89

418.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.13 ؋8.39

1184.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.88 ؋56.5

34.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.23 ؋14.76

747.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.78 ؋115

-12.36%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.58 ؋102

153.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$4.23 ؋272

213.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$3.99 ؋256

111.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$6.55 ؋421

178.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.73 ؋46.78

217.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.90 ؋57.9

92.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.95 ؋61.1

103.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$0.54 ؋34.50

388.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.62 ؋40.17

206.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.51 ؋32.83

313.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.28 ؋17.78

414.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.36 ؋23.09

122.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 ؋119

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋47.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 ؋67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.43 ؋156

188.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.13 ؋8.43

1730.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

$20.53 ؋1,320

125.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.11 ؋136

98.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.48 ؋30.93

129.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$2.66 ؋171

548.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.99 ؋63.4

127.27%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$8,551 ؋549.8K

303.08%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$33.8K ؋2.2M

23.03%

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

$171 €147

$42.79 ؋2,751

299.35%

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

$19.01 €16.39

$12.63 ؋812

50.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$97.8 ؋6,289

-64.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$11.19 ؋720

343.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

$3.97 ؋255

391.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$2.32 ؋149

335.34%

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

$699 €603

$19.89 ؋1,279

3415.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,043 ؋67.0K

1604.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$10.49 ؋675

897.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$16.10 ؋1,035

197.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$57.5 ؋3,695

77.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$25.12 ؋1,615

410.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

$124 ؋7,996

1236.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$108 ؋6,957

1035.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$216 ؋13.9K

1249.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$116 ؋7,462

1643.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

$688 ؋44.2K

1082.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

$355 ؋22.8K

1204.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$333 ؋21.4K

386.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kabul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $124 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 386% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $8.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $101 per month, with Kabul cheaper across the board.

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 Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Kabul differ by about 357% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $497 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 386% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $124 in Kabul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 125% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $19.89 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $497 in Kabul versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kabul but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kabul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kabul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 357% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.