Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kalar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kalar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $545 in Kalar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $826 in Kalar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,106 in Kalar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 316% more expensive than in Kalar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Kalar is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$1.86 IQD 2,434

843.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$12.41 IQD 16.3K

419.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$3.64 IQD 4,770

220.05%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$0.99 IQD 1,299

229.29%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.52 IQD 683

378.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.14 IQD 184

1092.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$6.03 IQD 7,902

-42.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.48 IQD 5,873

-20.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.10 IQD 1,441

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.76 IQD 996

156.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.54 IQD 2,021

1.30%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.32 IQD 1,728

203.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$3.48 IQD 4,558

281.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$2.24 IQD 2,930

275.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

48.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.94 IQD 1,228

146.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.15 IQD 1,504

50.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.94 IQD 1,226

105.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$0.81 IQD 1,059

225.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.71 IQD 928

167.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.70 IQD 916

201.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.78 IQD 1,025

84.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.40 IQD 528

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.52 IQD 3,296

178.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

-53.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.67 IQD 2,191

-18.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.15 IQD 2,818

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.55 IQD 716

332.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

$30.21 IQD 39.6K

53.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.86 IQD 2,440

125.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$3.78 IQD 4,947

356.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.67 IQD 875

235.82%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$16.7K IQD 21.8M

106.75%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$18.7K IQD 24.5M

122.46%

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

$171 €147

$52.8 IQD 69.2K

223.39%

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

$19.01 €16.39

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

41.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$23.92 IQD 31.3K

43.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

161.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

$38.34 IQD 50.2K

-49.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

29.65%

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

$699 €603

$50.8 IQD 66.5K

1276.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,532 IQD 2.0M

1060.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$12.97 IQD 17.0K

706.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

239.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$26.37 IQD 34.5K

286.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$32.17 IQD 42.1K

298.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

$171 IQD 224.5K

869.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$106 IQD 138.8K

1058.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$281 IQD 367.7K

938.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$148 IQD 193.9K

1266.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

$3,286 IQD 4.3M

147.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

$451 IQD 591.1K

926.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$343 IQD 448.8K

372.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

2.53

49.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kalar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $171 in Kalar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 372% 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 $12.00 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $157 per month, with Kalar 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 Kalar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 316% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 372% 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 $171 in Kalar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalar – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $545 in Kalar – a 316% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 in Kalar versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kalar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kalar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kalar is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kalar 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 Kalar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 316% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.