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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,228 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,997 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,767 in Mahboula.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 87% more expensive than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Mahboula is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$6.67 KWD 2.05

142.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$25.91 KWD 7.96

144.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$8.76 KWD 2.69

17.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$5.99 KWD 1.84

-52.75%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.51 KWD 0.16

349.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.18 KWD 0.06

777.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-30.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.01 KWD 0.31

73.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.73 KWD 0.53

1.73%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.28 KWD 0.39

147.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$5.15 KWD 1.58

156.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$6.45 KWD 1.98

23.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$10.51 KWD 3.23

47.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.35 KWD 0.72

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.99 KWD 0.61

-14.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.73 KWD 0.53

16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.13 KWD 0.35

115.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.23 KWD 0.38

43.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.12 KWD 0.35

81.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.69 KWD 0.52

13.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.45 KWD 0.14

88.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.65 KWD 0.51

298.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.86 KWD 0.26

165.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$49.21 KWD 15.13

-6.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.61 KWD 0.49

162.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-49.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$5.80 KWD 1.78

217.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.20 KWD 0.06

940.00%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$19.6K KWD 6,033

76.65%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$17.9K KWD 5,499

118.91%

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

$148 €130

$62.1 KWD 19.10

138.33%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$16.54 KWD 5.09

23.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$26.13 KWD 8.03

51.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$93.4 KWD 28.72

-48.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$46.15 KWD 14.19

-59.70%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$11.37 KWD 3.50

-18.91%

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

$616 €539

$392 KWD 121

57.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$6,467 KWD 1,988

154.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$41.82 KWD 12.86

145.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$42.84 KWD 13.17

-2.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$87.1 KWD 26.77

8.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$81.3 KWD 25.00

50.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$723 KWD 222

125.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$497 KWD 153

148.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$1,824 KWD 561

69.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$1,148 KWD 353

77.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$1,278 KWD 393

25.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.14

-46.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $723 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $171 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 87% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,228 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $723 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $392 in Mahboula. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,228 in Mahboula versus $2,291 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 87% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.