Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Qairawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Qairawan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,291 in Qairawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,184 in Qairawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,077 in Qairawan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 78% more expensive than in Qairawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Qairawan is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$8.67 KWD 2.66

102.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$60.8 KWD 18.65

3.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$9.00 KWD 2.76

28.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 KWD 1.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 KWD 1.05

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.85 KWD 1.49

-36.08%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.56 KWD 0.17

344.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.30 KWD 0.09

480.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.22 KWD 0.37

-5.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.70 KWD 0.21

172.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.04 KWD 0.63

-26.47%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.83 KWD 0.56

117.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$3.94 KWD 1.21

237.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.33 KWD 1.94

26.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$9.57 KWD 2.94

88.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.17 KWD 0.67

8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.87 KWD 0.57

-6.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.46 KWD 0.45

26.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.46 KWD 0.45

74.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.24 KWD 0.38

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.01 KWD 0.31

107.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.47 KWD 0.14

74.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.47 KWD 1.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 KWD 0.28

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.12 KWD 0.96

127.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.78 KWD 0.24

202.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.17 KWD 0.97

28.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.76 KWD 0.85

-58.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$14.70 KWD 4.51

16.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.36 KWD 0.11

541.67%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$23.9K KWD 7,342

42.70%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$19.4K KWD 5,970

112.78%

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

$169 €147

$57.7 KWD 17.70

192.27%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$21.01 KWD 6.45

-8.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$28.41 KWD 8.72

17.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$85.8 KWD 26.33

-43.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$11.35 KWD 3.48

-15.68%

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

$696 €607

$281 KWD 86.4

147.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$6,990 KWD 2,146

148.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$43.38 KWD 13.32

142.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$36.20 KWD 11.11

31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$112 KWD 34.51

-10.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$102 KWD 31.36

21.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$736 KWD 226

125.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$601 KWD 185

107.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,975 KWD 606

50.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,421 KWD 436

44.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.53

-42.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Qairawan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $736 in Qairawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $61.0 in Qairawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $160 per month, with Qairawan 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 Qairawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Qairawan differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,291 including rent). Qairawan 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 $1,936 in Qairawan 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $736 in Qairawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% 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 $1,291 in Qairawan – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,291 in Qairawan versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Qairawan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Qairawan 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 Qairawan 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 Qairawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.