Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,446 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,460 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 60% more expensive than in Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Sabah Al Salem 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$8.32 KWD 2.55

111.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$71.6 KWD 21.98

-12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$9.25 KWD 2.84

25.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$6.62 KWD 2.03

-53.17%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.48 KWD 0.15

418.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.48 KWD 0.15

262.50%

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

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-41.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.33 KWD 0.41

43.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.13 KWD 0.65

-29.58%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.02 KWD 0.93

31.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$7.32 KWD 2.25

81.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$5.38 KWD 1.65

48.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$10.15 KWD 3.12

77.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.51 KWD 0.77

-6.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.86 KWD 0.57

-5.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.32 KWD 0.41

40.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.54 KWD 0.47

65.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.31 KWD 0.40

40.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.95 KWD 0.29

121.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-9.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.48 KWD 0.15

70.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.01 KWD 0.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 KWD 0.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.79 KWD 0.86

154.48%

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

$0.75 KWD 0.23

214.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$115 KWD 35.24

-59.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.05 KWD 0.94

33.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.50 KWD 1.07

-67.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$14.39 KWD 4.42

18.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.33 KWD 0.10

600.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$21.8K KWD 6,696

56.48%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$21.9K KWD 6,719

89.05%

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

$169 €147

$39.29 KWD 12.06

328.99%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$24.66 KWD 7.57

-21.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$38.81 KWD 11.92

-13.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$128 KWD 39.36

-61.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$39.17 KWD 12.02

-50.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$11.39 KWD 3.50

-15.98%

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

$696 €607

$277 KWD 85.1

151.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$7,546 KWD 2,317

129.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$37.94 KWD 11.65

177.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$40.10 KWD 12.31

19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$96.3 KWD 29.56

4.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$90.3 KWD 27.71

37.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$725 KWD 223

129.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$555 KWD 170

124.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,811 KWD 556

63.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,352 KWD 415

51.51%

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

$3,022 KWD 928

-46.01%

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 Sabah Al Salem: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $725 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sabah Al Salem pays 85% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $188, with Sabah Al Salem cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sabah Al Salem differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,432 including rent). Sabah Al Salem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 85% lower in Sabah Al Salem. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $725 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $277 in Sabah Al Salem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sabah Al Salem but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.