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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $416 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $602 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $787 in Kabul.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 431% more expensive than Kabul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Kabul is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.53 ؋161

528.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$10.74 ؋682

503.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.37 ؋278

140.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋143

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋107

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.01 ؋64.0

184.16%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.36 ؋22.93

522.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.13 ؋8.10

1053.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.71 ؋44.85

60.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.21 ؋13.14

733.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.70 ؋108

3.53%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.42 ؋90.0

126.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$3.84 ؋244

251.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.35 ؋213

136.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.00 ؋381

164.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.53 ؋33.75

335.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.80 ؋50.8

112.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.75 ؋47.84

168.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.46 ؋29.36

434.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.48 ؋30.44

283.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.43 ؋26.99

365.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.23 ؋14.60

739.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.33 ؋20.72

139.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.97 ؋125

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋59.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ؋93.9

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.64 ؋168

150.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.21 ؋13.31

1028.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$9.87 ؋627

361.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.76 ؋112

143.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.55 ؋35.21

49.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.59 ؋164

606.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.95 ؋60.1

116.84%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$7,763 ؋493.0K

341.57%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$32.1K ؋2.0M

22.24%

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

$148 €127

$50.3 ؋3,196

193.86%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$13.77 ؋874

49.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$91.6 ؋5,819

-56.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$9.06 ؋575

428.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$3.88 ؋247

387.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$2.21 ؋140

315.38%

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

$614 €528

$18.18 ؋1,155

3277.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,414 ؋89.8K

1034.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$9.57 ؋608

993.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$17.44 ؋1,108

141.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$32.79 ؋2,082

186.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$28.41 ؋1,804

321.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$85.0 ؋5,398

1815.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$58.5 ؋3,715

2045.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$203 ؋12.9K

1396.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$111 ؋7,037

1723.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$732 ؋46.5K

965.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$410 ؋26.1K

940.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$351 ؋22.3K

356.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

18.5

-79.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kabul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $85.0 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 356% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $11.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $88.0 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 431% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $416 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 356% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $85.0 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 362% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $18.18 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $416 in Kabul versus $2,210 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 431% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.