Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Karakol Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Karakol

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $441 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $644 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $848 in Karakol.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 402% more expensive than Karakol, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Karakol is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.36 KGS 206

574.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$9.42 KGS 824

587.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.67 KGS 146

71.86%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.60 KGS 52.1

273.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.28 KGS 24.09

435.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.11 KGS 97.1

214.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.69 KGS 148

129.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.77 KGS 67.4

48.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.22 KGS 19.22

695.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.41 KGS 123

24.82%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.69 KGS 148

90.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.74 KGS 589

100.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.07 KGS 356

94.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$5.61 KGS 491

182.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.76 KGS 66.5

203.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.35 KGS 118

25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.15 KGS 101

113.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.59 KGS 51.8

211.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.35 KGS 30.61

451.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.59 KGS 51.8

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.73 KGS 151

282.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.04 KGS 441

13.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.17 KGS 102

17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.25 KGS 197

32.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.21 KGS 18.33

1028.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.25 KGS 109

243.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

$38.33 KGS 3,351

285.78%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$4.19 KGS 366

389.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$9.81 KGS 858

303.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$15.15 KGS 1,324

215.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

$92.5 KGS 8,084

564.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$34.96 KGS 3,056

242.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$225 KGS 19.7K

623.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$174 KGS 15.2K

622.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$286 KGS 25.0K

958.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$288 KGS 25.1K

602.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Karakol: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $225 in Karakol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $9.00 in Karakol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $128 per month, with Karakol 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 Karakol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Karakol differ by about 402% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $441 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $661 in Karakol to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $225 in Karakol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $441 in Karakol – a 402% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $441 in Karakol versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karakol but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Karakol 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 Karakol 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 Karakol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 402% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.