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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $451 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $774 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,098 in Mashhad.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 408% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Mashhad is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$2.94 $2.94

450.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$19.68 $19.68

221.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.01 $5.01

105.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.16 $1.16

143.97%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.43 $0.43

432.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.48 $0.48

229.17%

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

$0.53 $0.53

105.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.25 $0.25

600.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.85 $1.85

-4.86%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.09 $1.09

190.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$2.16 $2.16

510.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$2.40 $2.40

232.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$10.34 $10.34

50.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$0.89 $0.89

166.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.21 $1.21

41.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.92 $0.92

118.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.65 $0.65

273.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.48 $0.48

266.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.49 $0.49

314.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.48 $0.48

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.30 $0.30

183.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 $0.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 $0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.62 $2.62

151.15%

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

$0.19 $0.19

1100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$4.37 $4.37

947.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.33 $0.33

1181.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.52 $0.52

55.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$1.97 $1.97

836.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.82 $0.82

153.66%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$59.4K $59.4K

-41.61%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$71.7K $71.7K

-45.38%

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

$148 €130

$13.84 $13.84

969.73%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$2.29 $2.29

793.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$5.89 $5.89

571.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$18.79 $18.79

155.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$14.90 $14.90

24.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$2.05 $2.05

349.76%

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

$616 €539

$46.01 $46.01

1239.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$623 $623

2537.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$22.20 $22.20

362.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$36.65 $36.65

13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$95.2 $95.2

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$86.8 $86.8

40.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$212 $212

668.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$146 $146

741.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$455 $455

580.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$324 $324

527.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$1,127 $1,127

594.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$678 $678

547.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$253 $253

536.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

20.5

-81.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $212 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 536% 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 $20.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $96.0 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 408% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $451 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 536% 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 $212 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $46.01 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 179% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $451 in Mashhad versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 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 408% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.