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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $417 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $604 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $790 in Kabul.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 449% more expensive than in Kabul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Kabul is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.15

$2.66 ؋175

508.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.3

$10.83 ؋712

484.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.02

$4.24 ؋279

143.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ؋153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋110

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

$1.01 ؋66.6

180.20%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.34 ؋22.04

573.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.15 ؋9.87

953.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.71 ؋46.73

53.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.17 ؋11.49

929.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.70 ؋112

3.53%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.43 ؋94.1

121.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.53

$3.76 ؋247

250.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.96

$3.27 ؋215

143.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.57

$5.91 ؋389

162.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$0.57 ؋37.42

315.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.74 ؋48.77

131.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

$0.70 ؋45.92

187.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$0.47 ؋30.95

417.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.45 ؋29.46

291.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.43 ؋28.13

372.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.25 ؋16.46

668.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.36 ؋23.39

136.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.76 ؋116

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋61.9

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ؋101

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.75

$2.55 ؋168

158.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.21 ؋13.80

985.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

$9.94 ؋654

360.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$1.69 ؋111

150.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.52 ؋34.44

55.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

$2.50 ؋164

637.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.98 ؋64.4

112.24%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$7,814 ؋513.6K

343.68%

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

$39.2K €34.2K

$31.9K ؋2.1M

22.74%

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

$148 €129

$50.4 ؋3,310

193.98%

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

$20.46 €17.88

$14.12 ؋928

44.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.56

$90.5 ؋5,949

-56.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

$9.10 ؋598

427.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

$3.83 ؋252

385.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.06

$2.20 ؋145

319.09%

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

$616 €538

$18.59 ؋1,222

3214.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,453 ؋95.5K

1031.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$9.12 ؋600

1026.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

$17.07 ؋1,122

144.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

$32.63 ؋2,145

190.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$27.45 ؋1,805

344.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,426

$85.4 ؋5,614

1811.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,077

$57.7 ؋3,795

2034.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,707

$198 ؋13.0K

1464.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,775

$110 ؋7,199

1754.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

$744 ؋48.9K

953.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

$407 ؋26.8K

977.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

$330 ؋21.7K

386.89%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kabul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $85.4 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 387% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $11.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $87.0 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 449% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $417 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 387% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $85.4 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 361% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $18.59 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $417 in Kabul versus $2,291 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 449% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.