Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mahabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mahabad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $513 in Mahabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $809 in Mahabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,105 in Mahabad.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 333% more expensive than Mahabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Mahabad is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$3.06 $3.06

415.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$17.50 $17.50

256.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$2.09 $2.09

404.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 $0.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$2.26 $2.26

22.57%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$0.93 $0.93

145.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.02 $1.02

51.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.62 $0.62

74.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.43 $0.43

311.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.17 $2.17

-18.43%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$1.19 $1.19

162.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$3.15 $3.15

323.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$3.19 $3.19

150.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$7.12 $7.12

123.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$0.79 $0.79

188.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.21 $1.21

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$0.89 $0.89

122.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.44 $0.44

456.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.48 $0.48

268.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.43 $0.43

358.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.52 $0.52

278.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.31 $0.31

158.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.52 $0.52

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$2.19 $2.19

198.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$0.21 $0.21

1014.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$9.80 $9.80

367.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$0.34 $0.34

1152.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.29 $0.29

189.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$1.96 $1.96

862.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.77 $0.77

168.83%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$72.1K $72.1K

-51.12%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$55.9K $55.9K

-30.89%

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

$151 €130

$15.95 $15.95

847.52%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$2.06 $2.06

915.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$5.70 $5.70

593.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$14.45 $14.45

234.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$12.51 $12.51

48.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$1.52 $1.52

494.74%

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

$610 €525

$117 $117

421.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$1,961 $1,961

729.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$22.30 $22.30

353.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$25.48 $25.48

59.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$108 $108

-13.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$68.9 $68.9

72.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$286 $286

461.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$201 $201

516.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$628 $628

380.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$316 $316

552.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$857 $857

830.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$541 $541

737.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$280 $280

481.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

22.24

-82.87%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mahabad: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $286 in Mahabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 481% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Mahabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $96.0 per month, with Mahabad 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 Mahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mahabad differ by about 333% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $513 including rent). Mahabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 481% 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $286 in Mahabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $610 in Lisbon versus $117 in Mahabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 180% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $513 in Mahabad versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahabad but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mahabad 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 Mahabad 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 Mahabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 333% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.