Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sanandaj Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sanandaj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $391 in Sanandaj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $650 in Sanandaj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $909 in Sanandaj.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 487% more expensive than in Sanandaj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Sanandaj is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$3.23 $3.23

444.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$17.94 $17.94

250.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$3.57 $3.57

224.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$0.99 $0.99

213.13%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.63 $0.63

295.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.14 $1.14

52.63%

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

$0.74 $0.74

55.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.69 $0.69

176.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.96 $1.96

-23.47%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$0.99 $0.99

302.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$3.69 $3.69

260.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$2.68 $2.68

198.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$10.07 $10.07

79.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.11 $1.11

111.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.46 $1.46

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$0.83 $0.83

122.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.77 $0.77

231.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.72 $0.72

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.78 $0.78

169.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.59 $0.59

152.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.36 $0.36

127.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.42 $2.42

193.39%

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

$0.19 $0.19

1142.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$7.39 $7.39

530.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.47 $0.47

768.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.31 $0.31

267.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$2.27 $2.27

652.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.08 $0.08

2787.50%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$43.8K $43.8K

-22.15%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$37.0K $37.0K

11.80%

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

$169 €147

$9.84 $9.84

1612.91%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$2.99 $2.99

546.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$3.40 $3.40

885.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$6.03 $6.03

709.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$15.08 $15.08

28.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$0.98 $0.98

876.53%

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

$696 €607

$108 $108

545.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$1,604 $1,604

981.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$15.98 $15.98

558.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$28.23 $28.23

69.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$62.0 $62.0

62.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$71.5 $71.5

74.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$160 $160

940.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$114 $114

990.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$338 $338

777.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$194 $194

955.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$801 $801

878.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$288 $288

1452.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$254 $254

541.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-82.82%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sanandaj: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $160 in Sanandaj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 542% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Sanandaj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $113 per month, with Sanandaj 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 Sanandaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sanandaj differ by about 487% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $391 including rent). Sanandaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 542% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $160 in Sanandaj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $108 in Sanandaj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $391 in Sanandaj versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sanandaj but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sanandaj 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 Sanandaj 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 Sanandaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 487% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.