Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Semey

For one person, living is cheaper in Semey: $712 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Semey, Kazakhstan
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Semey
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$712
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Semey

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $712 in Semey.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Semey $712

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,148 in Semey.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Semey $1,148

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $1,584 in Semey.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Semey $1,584

Living in Lisbon is roughly 210% more expensive than in Semey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Semey is 48% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$4.93 ₸2,235
237.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$21.82 ₸9,898
182.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$5.49 ₸2,491
106.92%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$1.70 ₸771
74.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$0.76 ₸345
201.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.48 ₸216
262.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$0.91 ₸412
273.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$1.35 ₸614
145.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.03 ₸469
12.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.37 ₸167
416.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.86 ₸845
-18.82%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$1.53 ₸693
162.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$5.36 ₸2,432
141.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$3.86 ₸1,751
101.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$5.43 ₸2,461
227.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$1.23 ₸559
86.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.65 ₸748
4.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.72 ₸781
8.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$1.69 ₸768
53.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$0.39 ₸176
366.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$0.60 ₸274
228.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.02 ₸461
44.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.99 ₸448
-27.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$2.46 ₸1,116
167.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$7.24 ₸3,282
-22.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.31 ₸596
3.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.20 ₸998
-2.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.25 ₸114
832.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$15.69 ₸7,119
184.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.29 ₸586
198.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.14 ₸515
-6.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$6.54 ₸2,968
151.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$0.65 ₸293
238.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$32.4K ₸14.7M
5.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$26.3K ₸11.9M
47.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$33.66 ₸15.3K
378.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$9.01 ₸4,088
104.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$18.84 ₸8,544
73.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$42.36 ₸19.2K
5.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$11.23 ₸5,095
70.08%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$4.39 ₸1,993
118.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$132 ₸60.0K
404.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$4,406 ₸2.0M
299.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$28.90 ₸13.1K
253.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$25.47 ₸11.6K
74.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$100 ₸45.4K
-1.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$76.6 ₸34.7K
61.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$339 ₸153.5K
375.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$229 ₸103.8K
420.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$611 ₸276.9K
360.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$489 ₸221.6K
312.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$1,205 ₸546.7K
550.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$739 ₸335.4K
518.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Semey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
19.25
-80.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Semey: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Semey
$229 80.8% $961
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Semey
$154 43.3% $118
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Semey
$88 63.5% $154
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Semey
$62 71% $151
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Semey
$104 37.3% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Semey
$51 19.8% $13
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Semey
$24 62.6% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $339 in Semey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $22 in Semey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $154 per month, with Semey cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇰🇿 Semey
🕒 Local time
11:39 11:39 AM
16:39 4:39 PM
5 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
310,456
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 454 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Semey 6,770 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Semey

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 Semey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Semey?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $712 in Semey, so Semey is about 68% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Semey?
You’d need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,068 in Semey 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Semey?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $339 in Semey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Semey?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $132 in Semey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $712 in Semey versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Semey but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Semey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Semey?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Semey?
Expats usually find Semey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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