Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saham

For one person, living is cheaper in Saham: $954 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Saham, Oman
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Saham
🇴🇲 Oman
$954
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Saham

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $954 in Saham.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Saham $954

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $1,432 in Saham.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Saham $1,432

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $1,909 in Saham.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Saham $1,909

Living in Lisbon is roughly 131% more expensive than in Saham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 63% above, Saham is 29% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €14.98
$5.07 OMR 1.95
232.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.2
$39.46 OMR 15.19
54.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.75
$7.59 OMR 2.92
44.66%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.71
$4.97 OMR 1.91
-38.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.90 OMR 0.35
153.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.49
$0.27 OMR 0.10
522.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.05
$12.90 OMR 4.97
-73.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.47
$12.96 OMR 4.99
-69.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$2.30 OMR 0.88
-50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.20 OMR 0.46
57.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.33
$1.87 OMR 0.72
-19.79%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$2.98 OMR 1.15
38.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.55
$7.17 OMR 2.76
81.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.15
$6.86 OMR 2.64
17.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.89
$10.22 OMR 3.93
75.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.65 OMR 1.41
-37.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.03 OMR 0.78
-14.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$2.32 OMR 0.89
-21.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$1.32 OMR 0.51
103.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.22 OMR 0.47
45.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$1.29 OMR 0.50
50.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.81 OMR 0.69
-19.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.68 OMR 0.26
11.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.91
$6.32 OMR 2.43
5.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.01
$15.61 OMR 6.01
-63.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$6.04 OMR 2.32
-78.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$10.21 OMR 3.93
-79.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.04
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.10
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.54
$3.34 OMR 1.29
19.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$2.55 OMR 0.98
-74.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.81
$7.63 OMR 2.94
148.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.02
$0.65 OMR 0.25
250.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.6K
$25.2K OMR 9,683
32.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.2K
$21.2K OMR 8,154
81.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$180 OMR 69.3
-12.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.58
$30.89 OMR 11.89
-43.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.70
$71.9 OMR 27.66
-56.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.66
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.86
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.51
$10.58 OMR 4.07
-9.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €598
$500 OMR 192
34.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.6K
$10.7K OMR 4,131
74.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €90.8
$56.9 OMR 21.91
79.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.77
$42.95 OMR 16.53
6.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €90.8
$89.2 OMR 34.34
14.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €108
$89.2 OMR 34.34
36.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,457
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,055
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,509
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,793
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,960
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,176
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Saham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,499
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
5.25
-27.24%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Saham: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Saham
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Saham
$291 5.9% $16
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Saham
$218 11.1% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Saham
$283 36.6% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Saham
$125 25.2% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Saham
$21 * 66.8% $43
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Saham
$16 * 73.3% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $61 in Lisbon vs $39 in Saham. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $291, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇴🇲 Saham
🕒 Local time
12:05 12:05 PM
16:05 4:05 PM
4 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
140,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.432 OMR (1 OMR = 2.32 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Saham 6,330 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Saham

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 Saham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Saham?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $954 in Saham, so Saham is about 57% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Saham?
You’d need roughly $3,309 in Lisbon and $1,431 in Saham 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Saham?
All in, you’ll spend $2,206 per month in Lisbon versus $954 in Saham – Saham is about 57% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is feasible on a $800 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Saham is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Saham?
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 Saham safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Saham are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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