Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $974 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,454 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,935 in Mecca.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 138% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Mecca is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$4.63 SAR 17.38

273.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$26.73 SAR 100

136.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$6.72 SAR 25.23

69.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.62 SAR 9.83

21.76%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$0.67 SAR 2.53

265.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.23 SAR 0.86

665.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-30.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.94 SAR 3.51

110.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.19 SAR 8.22

-30.59%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$2.39 SAR 8.98

69.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$6.20 SAR 23.27

118.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$8.26 SAR 31.03

1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$12.60 SAR 47.31

44.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.98 SAR 7.43

15.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.67 SAR 6.27

4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.49 SAR 5.59

24.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.68 SAR 6.29

56.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.15 SAR 4.32

66.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.36 SAR 5.10

53.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.03 SAR 3.86

39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.50 SAR 1.89

68.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$6.66 SAR 25.01

1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$1.34 SAR 5.04

79.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$1.81 SAR 6.81

130.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-34.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$13.42 SAR 50.4

31.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$0.60 SAR 2.27

286.67%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

-24.76%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

93.92%

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

$170 €147

$75.9 SAR 285

124.44%

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

$19.34 €16.69

$35.20 SAR 132

-45.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$67.6 SAR 254

-50.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$78.5 SAR 295

-38.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

$34.37 SAR 129

-42.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$12.08 SAR 45.37

-17.88%

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

$717 €619

$391 SAR 1,467

83.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

282.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$22.43 SAR 84.2

367.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$58.6 SAR 220

-19.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$48.48 SAR 182

113.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$50.9 SAR 191

143.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$576 SAR 2,161

191.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$319 SAR 1,198

298.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$1,512 SAR 5,676

97.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$507 SAR 1,904

293.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

21.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$2,299 SAR 8,632

102.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$1,082 SAR 4,062

46.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

5.25

-27.81%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $576 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 46% 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 $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $194 per month, with Mecca 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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mecca differ by about 138% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $974 including rent). Mecca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $576 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $974 in Mecca – a 138% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $974 in Mecca versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca 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 Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 138% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.