Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Shaab Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Shaab

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,360 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,273 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,186 in Shaab.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 67% more expensive than in Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Shaab is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$13.13 KWD 4.03

33.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$65.1 KWD 19.96

-0.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$8.65 KWD 2.65

34.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 KWD 1.52

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$5.40 KWD 1.65

-39.63%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.70 KWD 0.21

255.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.34 KWD 0.11

391.18%

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

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-28.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.52 KWD 0.47

28.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-20.41%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.06 KWD 0.63

94.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$4.47 KWD 1.37

196.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.58 KWD 2.02

27.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.40 KWD 3.19

75.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.45 KWD 0.75

-5.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.85 KWD 0.57

-6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.82 KWD 0.56

6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.50 KWD 0.46

76.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.39 KWD 0.43

36.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.48 KWD 0.45

42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.29 KWD 0.70

-37.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.54 KWD 0.17

48.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.15 KWD 0.96

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.82 KWD 0.86

148.58%

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

$0.84 KWD 0.26

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.81 KWD 1.47

-12.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-65.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$16.44 KWD 5.04

4.99%

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

$21.1K KWD 6,484

62.97%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$20.4K KWD 6,249

104.19%

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

$171 €147

$65.7 KWD 20.16

159.93%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$22.73 KWD 6.97

-16.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$30.56 KWD 9.37

12.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$96.2 KWD 29.49

-48.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$11.43 KWD 3.50

-11.64%

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

$699 €603

$304 KWD 93.1

130.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$9,545 KWD 2,927

86.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$38.16 KWD 11.70

174.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$40.02 KWD 12.27

19.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$100.0 KWD 30.65

1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$88.1 KWD 27.00

45.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$720 KWD 221

130.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$590 KWD 181

108.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,750 KWD 536

66.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,326 KWD 407

52.53%

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

$3,181 KWD 975

-49.10%

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 Shaab: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $720 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 96% 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 Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $186, with Shaab 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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Shaab differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,360 including rent). Shaab is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 96% lower in Shaab. 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 $720 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% 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 $1,360 in Shaab – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,360 in Shaab versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shaab but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Shaab 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 Shaab 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 Shaab gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.