Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $842 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,280 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,718 in Mashhad.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 162% more expensive than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Mashhad is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$5.22 IQD 6,839

204.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$35.92 IQD 47.0K

80.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.60 IQD 9,956

38.29%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.08 IQD 4,038

-6.82%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.36 IQD 474

522.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.17 IQD 225

782.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.48 IQD 4,554

0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.83 IQD 3,704

37.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.36 IQD 1,777

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.79 IQD 1,035

121.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.67 IQD 2,180

5.39%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$0.87 IQD 1,143

270.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$4.39 IQD 5,750

207.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$2.01 IQD 2,636

293.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$2.94 IQD 3,848

439.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.98 IQD 1,284

135.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.16 IQD 1,519

46.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.97 IQD 1,274

107.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.67 IQD 882

267.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.65 IQD 854

183.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.63 IQD 830

217.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.31 IQD 411

522.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.23 IQD 296

243.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$0.78 IQD 1,028

747.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$13.70 IQD 17.9K

-58.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.16 IQD 2,834

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.36 IQD 477

558.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

46.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.85 IQD 5,045

11.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.47 IQD 1,928

-44.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

135.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.53 IQD 699

288.68%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

73.24%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

94.87%

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

$148 €127

$176 IQD 230.6K

-16.04%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$25.50 IQD 33.4K

-19.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$40.29 IQD 52.8K

-1.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$36.45 IQD 47.7K

31.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$16.58 IQD 21.7K

14.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

19.07%

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

$614 €528

$166 IQD 216.9K

270.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$3,528 IQD 4.6M

354.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

265.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$30.05 IQD 39.3K

39.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$64.2 IQD 84.0K

46.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

176.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$241 IQD 315.7K

575.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$180 IQD 236.0K

596.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$589 IQD 770.9K

414.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$341 IQD 446.7K

492.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.67

-32.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $241 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $36.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $131 per month, with Mashhad 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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mashhad differ by about 162% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $842 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,263 in Mashhad 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $241 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $166 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 106% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $842 in Mashhad versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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 Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 162% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.