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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $441 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $653 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $864 in Karakol.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 425% more expensive than in Karakol, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Karakol is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$2.27 KGS 199

662.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$9.20 KGS 804

587.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.74 KGS 152

83.33%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.59 KGS 51.9

315.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.30 KGS 26.44

486.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.11 KGS 97.0

223.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.68 KGS 147

101.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.77 KGS 67.4

61.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.24 KGS 21.03

725.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.36 KGS 119

11.76%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.67 KGS 146

141.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$6.83 KGS 597

98.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.09 KGS 358

105.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$5.88 KGS 514

210.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.79 KGS 69.0

189.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.39 KGS 121

25.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.11 KGS 97.0

136.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.59 KGS 51.9

225.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.35 KGS 30.77

311.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.59 KGS 51.2

42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$1.73 KGS 152

291.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$5.18 KGS 453

10.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.15 KGS 101

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.35 KGS 205

-5.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.17 KGS 14.98

1311.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.27 KGS 111

228.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.02 KGS 89.1

127.45%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.7K

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

$170 €147

$39.52 KGS 3,455

331.00%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$4.35 KGS 380

344.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$9.98 KGS 873

237.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$15.53 KGS 1,357

209.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

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

$717 €617

$91.7 KGS 8,015

682.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$34.61 KGS 3,026

258.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$233 KGS 20.3K

620.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$169 KGS 14.7K

654.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$290 KGS 25.4K

927.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$280 KGS 24.5K

610.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Karakol: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $233 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 $283 vs $130 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 425% in total monthly costs ($2,316 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 $3,474 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $233 in Karakol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $441 in Karakol – a 425% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $441 in Karakol versus $2,316 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 425% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.