Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mosul Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mosul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $624 in Mosul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,003 in Mosul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,383 in Mosul.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 254% more expensive than Mosul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Mosul is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.48 IQD 4,562

357.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

241.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.18 IQD 8,090

70.06%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.61 IQD 2,111

78.26%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.40 IQD 525

460.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.22 IQD 283

581.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.55 IQD 2,034

125.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.56 IQD 2,037

148.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.94 IQD 1,230

21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.82 IQD 1,079

113.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.28 IQD 1,682

37.50%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.53 IQD 2,000

110.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$3.48 IQD 4,553

287.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.80 IQD 4,979

108.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.78 IQD 15.4K

34.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.68 IQD 887

239.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.07 IQD 1,406

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.68 IQD 888

195.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.46 IQD 603

434.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.45 IQD 590

308.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.58 IQD 753

244.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.44 IQD 580

338.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.52 IQD 687

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.96 IQD 2,566

237.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$7.53 IQD 9,859

-24.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.43 IQD 1,873

-4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.88 IQD 2,462

57.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.36 IQD 473

558.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-39.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.56 IQD 2,042

175.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.47 IQD 1,922

-44.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$4.62 IQD 6,049

296.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.58 IQD 754

255.17%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$17.3K IQD 22.7M

98.10%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

92.51%

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

$148 €127

$102 IQD 133.3K

45.26%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

32.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$29.70 IQD 38.9K

33.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

111.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

-13.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$9.45 IQD 12.4K

-2.86%

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

$614 €528

$176 IQD 230.2K

249.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$3,283 IQD 4.3M

388.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

586.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

115.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$26.76 IQD 35.0K

251.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

369.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$152 IQD 198.9K

971.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$87.8 IQD 114.9K

1330.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$265 IQD 347.3K

1042.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$286 IQD 374.3K

606.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$814 IQD 1.1M

857.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$925 IQD 1.2M

361.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$475 IQD 621.9K

237.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

14.33

-73.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mosul: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $152 in Mosul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 238% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $19.00 in Mosul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $145 per month, with Mosul 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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mosul differ by about 254% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $624 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 238% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $152 in Mosul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $176 in Mosul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $624 in Mosul versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 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.

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 Mosul 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 Mosul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.