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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $640 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $931 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,223 in Mashhad.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 259% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Mashhad is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.24

$4.67 IQD 6,120

276.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.5

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

84.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.04

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

51.37%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.69

$3.08 IQD 4,035

0.65%

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

$2.49 €2.16

$0.40 IQD 519

522.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$0.24 IQD 312

625.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.02

$3.88 IQD 5,082

-10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$3.89 IQD 5,088

-11.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.05 IQD 1,371

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$0.82 IQD 1,076

132.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.58 IQD 2,067

-5.06%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$0.81 IQD 1,063

391.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.52

$3.80 IQD 4,981

249.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$2.04 IQD 2,676

292.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.64

$2.92 IQD 3,820

517.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.01 IQD 1,325

132.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.12 IQD 1,467

56.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$0.98 IQD 1,281

88.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$0.68 IQD 889

275.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.67 IQD 873

174.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$0.64 IQD 837

228.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.31 IQD 407

380.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.21 IQD 274

290.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

$0.76 IQD 996

834.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.12

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

-56.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$2.14 IQD 2,799

-38.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.26 IQD 2,954

-5.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.40

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$2.25 IQD 2,947

81.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.51 IQD 1,979

-24.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.81

$7.52 IQD 9,851

127.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

$0.65 IQD 857

255.38%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

80.29%

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

$41.4K €35.9K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

118.74%

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

$169 €146

$215 IQD 281.7K

-21.66%

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

$19.33 €16.75

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

-8.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.04

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

-20.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.32

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.84

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.29

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

-9.72%

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

$696 €603

$165 IQD 216.6K

320.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

393.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.3

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

254.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.38

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

25.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.1

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

34.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$46.47 IQD 60.9K

167.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,440

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,569

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,789

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,869

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,414

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.12

-8.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $127 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 259% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $640 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $960 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $640 in Mashhad – a 259% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $2,296 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 259% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.