Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kathmandu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kathmandu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $501 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $782 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $1,063 in Kathmandu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 351% more expensive than Kathmandu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Kathmandu is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.43

$1.78 NPR 266

788.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.7

$19.20 NPR 2,862

235.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.80

$6.65 NPR 991

55.94%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$1.90 NPR 284

52.11%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$0.49 NPR 73.8

355.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.31

$0.15 NPR 22.74

933.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.87

$2.55 NPR 380

32.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.31

$3.62 NPR 540

7.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.95

$0.89 NPR 132

25.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$0.54 NPR 80.8

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.48

$0.94 NPR 139

86.17%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.69

$1.77 NPR 264

79.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.46

$9.22 NPR 1,375

46.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.61

$3.12 NPR 465

149.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.29

$6.05 NPR 902

158.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$2.18 NPR 326

4.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.09 NPR 162

56.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.64

$1.25 NPR 187

54.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.14

$0.65 NPR 96.4

287.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$0.49 NPR 72.8

265.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$0.72 NPR 107

184.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.64

$0.50 NPR 74.0

288.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.25 NPR 36.92

224.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.65

$2.85 NPR 425

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.91

$6.66 NPR 993

-13.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.13

$2.34 NPR 350

-43.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$3.35 NPR 499

-13.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €1.99

$0.23 NPR 34.39

921.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.80

$10.79 NPR 1,608

323.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.57

$2.21 NPR 329

90.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.07 NPR 159

-24.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.88

$3.67 NPR 546

409.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.26 NPR 188

65.87%

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

$34.6K €29.4K

$31.7K NPR 4.7M

9.14%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$41.2K NPR 6.1M

-3.72%

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

$146 €124

$32.83 NPR 4,894

344.26%

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

$20.84 €17.69

$5.00 NPR 746

316.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.77

$9.86 NPR 1,469

303.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.25

$21.99 NPR 3,277

120.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.00

$7.17 NPR 1,069

162.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.70

$3.32 NPR 494

173.19%

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

$618 €525

$93.0 NPR 13.9K

564.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.7K

$3,703 NPR 552.0K

336.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €88.8

$24.62 NPR 3,670

324.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.42

$27.47 NPR 4,095

47.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.6

$58.3 NPR 8,688

60.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$40.32 NPR 6,010

204.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,362

$192 NPR 28.6K

734.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,070

$99.7 NPR 14.9K

1164.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,602

$347 NPR 51.8K

782.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,705

$189 NPR 28.2K

962.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,539

$2,382 NPR 355.1K

223.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,707

$1,359 NPR 202.6K

221.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,391

$241 NPR 36.0K

578.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

12.08

-68.46%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $192 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 579% 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 in Lisbon vs $19 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $152 per month, with Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 351% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lisbon pays 579% more on average, 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $192 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,258 per month in Lisbon versus $501 in Kathmandu – a 351% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $501 in Kathmandu versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kathmandu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kathmandu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $501 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 351% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.