Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mahboula Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mahboula

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,240 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,021 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,802 in Mahboula.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 83% more expensive than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Mahboula is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$6.58 KWD 2.02

166.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$25.57 KWD 7.84

152.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$8.87 KWD 2.72

31.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$5.57 KWD 1.71

-41.47%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.47 KWD 0.14

429.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.18 KWD 0.06

827.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.59 KWD 0.49

-25.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.94 KWD 0.29

107.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-18.75%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.33 KWD 0.41

201.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$4.36 KWD 1.34

204.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.57 KWD 2.02

28.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.21 KWD 3.13

78.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.42 KWD 0.74

-4.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.84 KWD 0.57

-5.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.80 KWD 0.55

7.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$1.11 KWD 0.34

137.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.38 KWD 0.42

37.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.16 KWD 0.35

81.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.38 KWD 0.73

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.51 KWD 0.16

56.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$1.58 KWD 0.48

343.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.84 KWD 0.26

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

$48.80 KWD 14.96

-5.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.60 KWD 0.49

161.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.58 KWD 0.49

-30.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$5.60 KWD 1.72

208.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.18 KWD 0.06

1150.00%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$19.1K KWD 5,859

80.39%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$17.8K KWD 5,450

134.12%

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

$171 €147

$65.7 KWD 20.16

159.93%

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

$19.01 €16.39

$16.24 KWD 4.98

17.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$30.40 KWD 9.32

12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$96.5 KWD 29.57

-48.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

$48.77 KWD 14.95

-60.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$11.30 KWD 3.46

-10.62%

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

$699 €603

$307 KWD 94.0

128.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$6,687 KWD 2,050

165.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$37.86 KWD 11.61

176.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$39.59 KWD 12.14

21.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$98.0 KWD 30.05

3.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$90.0 KWD 27.60

42.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

$720 KWD 221

130.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$501 KWD 154

145.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$1,790 KWD 549

62.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$1,128 KWD 346

79.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,284 KWD 394

26.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.53

-42.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $720 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 26% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $173 per month, with Mahboula 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 Mahboula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mahboula differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,240 including rent). Mahboula is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $720 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $307 in Mahboula. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,240 in Mahboula versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula 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 Mahboula 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 Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.