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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $434 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $636 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $838 in Karakol.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 428% more expensive than in Karakol, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Karakol is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.15

$2.26 KGS 198

616.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.3

$9.22 KGS 806

586.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.02

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

$1.74 KGS 152

62.64%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.59 KGS 51.9

288.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.28 KGS 24.27

464.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.97

$1.17 KGS 102

190.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.76 KGS 154

128.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.77 KGS 67.1

41.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.24 KGS 21.07

629.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.34 KGS 117

31.34%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.67 KGS 146

89.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.53

$6.97 KGS 609

89.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.96

$3.89 KGS 340

104.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.57

$5.61 KGS 490

176.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$0.82 KGS 71.4

189.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.39 KGS 122

23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$1.17 KGS 102

107.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.56 KGS 48.54

214.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.32 KGS 28.35

500.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.58 KGS 50.8

46.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.75

$1.74 KGS 152

278.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.87

$5.11 KGS 447

9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.16 KGS 102

14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.36 KGS 206

25.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.21 KGS 18.78

985.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$1.31 KGS 115

222.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.2K

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

$148 €129

$38.68 KGS 3,381

282.76%

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

$20.46 €17.88

$4.19 KGS 366

388.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.56

$9.82 KGS 858

302.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

$15.48 KGS 1,353

210.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.06

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

$616 €538

$92.2 KGS 8,062

568.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$33.80 KGS 2,955

261.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,426

$225 KGS 19.7K

626.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,077

$172 KGS 15.1K

614.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,707

$283 KGS 24.8K

993.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,775

$290 KGS 25.4K

600.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Karakol: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $225 in Karakol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $9.00 in Karakol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 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 428% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $434 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $650 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: $1,633 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 108% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $434 in Karakol – a 428% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $434 in Karakol versus $2,291 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 428% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.