Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saham Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $821 in Saham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $1,220 in Saham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,619 in Saham.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 170% more expensive than Saham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Saham is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$5.06 OMR 1.95

211.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$25.76 OMR 9.91

142.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$7.73 OMR 2.98

36.35%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$4.76 OMR 1.83

-41.81%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$1.05 OMR 0.40

117.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$0.34 OMR 0.13

355.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$12.57 OMR 4.84

-71.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$11.55 OMR 4.44

-65.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.18 OMR 0.45

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.66 OMR 0.64

6.63%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$2.44 OMR 0.94

27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$3.76 OMR 1.45

254.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$5.13 OMR 1.98

55.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$8.30 OMR 3.19

91.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.58 OMR 0.99

-11.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.66 OMR 0.64

-1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.83 OMR 0.70

8.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.16 OMR 0.45

111.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.03 OMR 0.40

71.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.03 OMR 0.40

91.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.03 OMR 0.40

91.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.56 OMR 0.22

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$6.41 OMR 2.47

2.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$15.64 OMR 6.02

-63.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$4.39 OMR 1.69

-69.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$7.59 OMR 2.92

-60.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$3.03 OMR 1.16

40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.75 OMR 0.29

12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$10.61 OMR 4.08

77.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.64 OMR 0.24

223.44%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$23.0K OMR 8,860

53.07%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$21.3K OMR 8,197

81.24%

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

$151 €130

$108 OMR 41.65

39.64%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$40.64 OMR 15.64

-48.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$69.4 OMR 26.69

-42.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$10.27 OMR 3.95

-11.98%

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

$610 €525

$191 OMR 73.4

219.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$10.0K OMR 3,858

62.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$50.8 OMR 19.56

99.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$39.37 OMR 15.15

3.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$79.9 OMR 30.75

16.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$87.7 OMR 33.76

35.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.15

-26.02%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Saham: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Saham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $230 per month, with Saham 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 Saham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saham differ by about 170% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $821 including rent). Saham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $1,232 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $821 in Saham – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Saham versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saham but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saham 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 Saham 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 Saham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.