Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Qatif

For one person, living is cheaper in Qatif: $1,102 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Qatif, Saudi Arabia
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Qatif
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,102
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Qatif

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 Qatif actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,102 in Qatif.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Qatif $1,102

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,640 in Qatif.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Qatif $1,640

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,178 in Qatif.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Qatif $2,178

Living in Lisbon is roughly 101% more expensive than in Qatif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Qatif is 19% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$3.50 SAR 13.15
375.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$34.91 SAR 131
76.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$6.52 SAR 24.48
74.23%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.88 SAR 7.04
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.24 SAR 8.39
-
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.10 SAR 11.62
-4.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$0.77 SAR 2.89
197.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.19 SAR 0.72
815.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.78 SAR 6.68
-34.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.91 SAR 3.42
109.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.92 SAR 7.20
-21.35%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$2.10 SAR 7.89
91.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$5.90 SAR 22.14
119.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$7.90 SAR 29.64
-1.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$12.64 SAR 47.44
40.51%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.29 SAR 8.58
0.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.71 SAR 6.41
1.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.59 SAR 5.95
16.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$0.67 SAR 2.52
286.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.08 SAR 4.05
68.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.13 SAR 4.26
74.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.95 SAR 3.58
54.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.55 SAR 2.07
30.91%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.60 SAR 9.77
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.50 SAR 5.64
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.21 SAR 8.31
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$6.26 SAR 23.48
5.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.09 SAR 4.09
113.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$36.50 SAR 137
22.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.46 SAR 9.22
56.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.55 SAR 2.07
94.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$13.24 SAR 49.70
24.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$0.61 SAR 2.29
260.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$29.1K SAR 109.1K
17.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$20.3K SAR 76.3K
90.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$104 SAR 388
55.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$32.15 SAR 121
-42.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$59.3 SAR 222
-44.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$79.4 SAR 298
-43.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$21.38 SAR 80.2
-10.66%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$13.07 SAR 49.03
-26.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$264 SAR 992
152.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$7,860 SAR 29.5K
124.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$32.16 SAR 121
217.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$21.10 SAR 79.2
110.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$95.5 SAR 358
3.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$90.7 SAR 340
36.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$586 SAR 2,199
174.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$374 SAR 1,402
218.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$807 SAR 3,029
248.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$578 SAR 2,171
248.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$943 SAR 3,537
731.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$796 SAR 2,987
474.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Qatif
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,257 SAR 8,471
-30.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.5
-30.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Qatif: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Qatif
$374 68.6% $816
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Qatif
$185 31.9% $87
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Qatif
$89 63.5% $154
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Qatif
$195 8.2% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Qatif
$108 35% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Qatif
$106 65.6% $42
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Qatif
$46 27.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $586 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $35 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $185 per month, with Qatif cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇸🇦 Qatif
🕒 Local time
23:13 11:13 PM
02:13 2:13 AM
3 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
87,332
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.19 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Qatif 5,600 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Qatif

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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Qatif?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,102 in Qatif, so Qatif is about 50% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Qatif?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $586 in Qatif. 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 Qatif?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $264 in Qatif. 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 47% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,102 in Qatif versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Qatif?
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.
Is Lisbon or Qatif safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Qatif are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Qatif?
Expats usually find Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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