Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Karaikal Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Karaikal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $369 in Karaikal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $566 in Karaikal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $764 in Karaikal, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 504% more than Karaikal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Karaikal is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$0.84 ₹79.9

1825.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$11.57 ₹1,099

458.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$3.99 ₹379

160.15%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$0.72 ₹68.2

284.72%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.37 ₹34.86

508.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.19 ₹17.76

726.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.07 ₹102

226.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$1.77 ₹168

125.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.51 ₹48.10

111.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.34 ₹32.00

411.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.57 ₹53.9

205.26%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$0.76 ₹72.1

318.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$2.83 ₹269

374.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$2.87 ₹273

178.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.39 ₹132

64.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.49 ₹46.68

251.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$0.80 ₹75.5

142.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$0.24 ₹22.80

958.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.22 ₹20.82

731.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.34 ₹32.08

500.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.15 ₹14.19

1220.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.30 ₹28.77

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.06 ₹290

123.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$3.25 ₹308

77.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.36 ₹129

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.35 ₹224

23.40%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.12 ₹391

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.28 ₹26.37

714.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$8.82 ₹838

431.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.13 ₹107

261.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.22 ₹20.88

272.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$1.19 ₹113

1435.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.14 ₹108

76.32%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$9,139 ₹867.6K

285.89%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$10.6K ₹1.0M

263.49%

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

$145 €124

$46.85 ₹4,448

210.35%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$1.72 ₹163

1118.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$6.81 ₹646

488.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$7.66 ₹727

536.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$7.05 ₹669

165.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$2.88 ₹273

214.58%

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

$607 €519

$22.82 ₹2,167

2557.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$1,779 ₹168.9K

817.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$11.84 ₹1,124

783.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$22.94 ₹2,178

78.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$40.84 ₹3,877

129.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$29.26 ₹2,778

305.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$201 ₹19.0K

699.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$125 ₹11.9K

885.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$303 ₹28.7K

906.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$240 ₹22.7K

758.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$162 ₹15.4K

2529.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$425 ₹40.3K

272.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.31

-59.08%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Karaikal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $201 in Karaikal. 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 273% 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 $12.00 in Karaikal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $74.0 – making Karaikal 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 Karaikal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 504% more than Karaikal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $553 in Karaikal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karaikal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 264% 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 $12.00 in Karaikal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaikal, where all-in costs run around $369, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Karaikal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karaikal costs $369 versus $2,227 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Karaikal. 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.