Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Salwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Salwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,285 in Salwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,192 in Salwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,099 in Salwa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 76% more expensive than in Salwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Salwa is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$12.95 KWD 3.97

35.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$64.9 KWD 19.90

-0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$6.52 KWD 2.00

78.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 KWD 1.52

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$5.29 KWD 1.62

-38.37%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.51 KWD 0.16

388.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.31 KWD 0.09

438.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.59 KWD 0.49

-25.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.73 KWD 0.22

167.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.78 KWD 0.24

100.00%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.07 KWD 0.63

93.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$4.49 KWD 1.38

195.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.52 KWD 2.00

29.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.39 KWD 3.19

75.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.47 KWD 0.76

-6.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.93 KWD 0.59

-10.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.84 KWD 0.56

4.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.83 KWD 0.26

218.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.63 KWD 0.19

201.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.49 KWD 0.46

41.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.36 KWD 0.72

-38.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.47 KWD 0.14

70.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.71 KWD 0.83

158.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.83 KWD 0.26

186.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$3.17 KWD 0.97

32.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$3.34 KWD 1.02

-67.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$15.94 KWD 4.89

8.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.33 KWD 0.10

581.82%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$21.0K KWD 6,430

64.34%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$17.9K KWD 5,499

132.06%

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

$171 €147

$66.4 KWD 20.35

157.43%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$22.43 KWD 6.88

-15.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$30.11 KWD 9.23

13.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$96.7 KWD 29.65

-48.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$9.88 KWD 3.03

97.47%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$11.41 KWD 3.50

-11.48%

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

$699 €603

$297 KWD 91.2

135.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$9,403 KWD 2,883

88.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$37.28 KWD 11.43

180.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$38.95 KWD 11.94

23.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$80.5 KWD 24.69

26.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$65.0 KWD 19.92

97.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$716 KWD 219

132.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$574 KWD 176

114.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,785 KWD 547

63.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,329 KWD 407

52.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$3,549 KWD 1,088

-54.38%

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 5, 2026

Last update for Salwa: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $716 in Salwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salwa pays 119% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $65.0 in Salwa. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $167, with Salwa 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 Salwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Salwa differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,285 including rent). Salwa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 119% lower in Salwa. 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $716 in Salwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,285 in Salwa – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,285 in Salwa versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salwa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Salwa 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 Salwa 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 Salwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.