Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mosul

For one person, living is cheaper in Mosul: $573 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Mosul, Iraq
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Mosul
🇮🇶 Iraq
$573
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Mosul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Mosul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $573 in Mosul.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Mosul $573

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $906 in Mosul.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Mosul $906

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $1,239 in Mosul.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Mosul $1,239

Living in Lisbon is roughly 285% more expensive than in Mosul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Mosul is 58% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$4.07 IQD 6,154
309.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$16.30 IQD 24.6K
278.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$5.21 IQD 7,870
118.04%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$1.44 IQD 2,171
106.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$0.37 IQD 552
518.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.16 IQD 241
987.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$1.35 IQD 2,045
151.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$1.30 IQD 1,965
154.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$0.72 IQD 1,086
61.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$0.63 IQD 955
203.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.09 IQD 1,645
38.53%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$1.35 IQD 2,045
197.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$3.05 IQD 4,611
324.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$3.63 IQD 5,481
114.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$10.20 IQD 15.4K
74.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$0.60 IQD 900
283.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$0.89 IQD 1,347
94.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$0.61 IQD 915
204.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$0.43 IQD 650
502.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$0.41 IQD 617
343.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$0.41 IQD 621
380.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.36 IQD 544
308.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.52 IQD 785
38.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$1.67 IQD 2,528
294.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$6.47 IQD 9,779
-13.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.47 IQD 2,222
-7.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$1.67 IQD 2,516
28.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$0.34 IQD 518
585.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$75.0 IQD 113.4K
-40.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$1.29 IQD 1,954
198.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.36 IQD 2,051
-21.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$3.99 IQD 6,032
312.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$0.44 IQD 661
400.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$15.0K IQD 22.7M
128.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$17.3K IQD 26.2M
123.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$76.1 IQD 115.0K
111.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$12.24 IQD 18.5K
50.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$23.78 IQD 35.9K
37.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$20.66 IQD 31.2K
115.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$22.72 IQD 34.3K
-15.93%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$8.09 IQD 12.2K
18.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$172 IQD 259.6K
288.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$2,729 IQD 4.1M
545.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$10.79 IQD 16.3K
845.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$16.25 IQD 24.6K
173.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$23.17 IQD 35.0K
325.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$22.08 IQD 33.4K
460.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$142 IQD 215.2K
1029.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$103 IQD 155.9K
1053.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$247 IQD 373.8K
1036.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$252 IQD 380.7K
699.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$730 IQD 1.1M
974.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$502 IQD 758.5K
811.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Mosul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$420 IQD 634.2K
275.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
2.53
52.17%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Mosul: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Mosul
$103 91.3% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Mosul
$127 53.2% $145
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Mosul
$77 68.3% $166
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Mosul
$112 47.2% $100
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Mosul
$33 80.4% $133
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Mosul
$37 42.2% $27
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Mosul
$84 33.7% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $142 in Mosul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays about 3.8 times 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $16 in Mosul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $127 per month, with Mosul cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇮🇶 Mosul
🕒 Local time
17:38 5:38 PM
20:38 8:38 PM
3 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
1,683,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,682 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Mosul 4,550 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Mosul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Mosul?
Lisbon and Mosul differ by about 285% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $573 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Mosul?
Average pay in Lisbon is about 3.8 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Mosul?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $142 in Mosul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Mosul?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $172 in Mosul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 114% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $573 in Mosul versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Mosul but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mosul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Mosul?
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.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Mosul?
It comes down to priorities – Mosul wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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