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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,378 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,332 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,286 in Shaab.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 66% more expensive than in Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Shaab 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$9.90 KWD 3.04

63.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$82.0 KWD 25.19

-22.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$9.16 KWD 2.81

12.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 KWD 1.11

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$5.85 KWD 1.80

-51.62%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.69 KWD 0.21

231.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.38 KWD 0.12

315.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-33.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.23 KWD 0.38

42.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.73 KWD 0.53

1.73%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.01 KWD 0.62

57.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$5.09 KWD 1.57

159.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$6.39 KWD 1.97

24.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$10.32 KWD 3.17

50.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.41 KWD 0.74

-1.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-10.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.79 KWD 0.55

12.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.49 KWD 0.46

63.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.22 KWD 0.37

44.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.32 KWD 0.41

53.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.61 KWD 0.49

19.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.49 KWD 0.15

73.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.33 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.86 KWD 0.88

130.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.83 KWD 0.25

174.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$44.40 KWD 13.65

3.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.25 KWD 1.00

30.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$3.32 KWD 1.02

-75.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$16.46 KWD 5.06

12.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.34 KWD 0.10

511.76%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$21.5K KWD 6,601

61.46%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$19.6K KWD 6,039

99.31%

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

$148 €130

$62.9 KWD 19.33

135.45%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$18.50 KWD 5.69

10.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$26.11 KWD 8.03

51.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$93.7 KWD 28.79

-48.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$47.12 KWD 14.49

-60.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$11.26 KWD 3.46

-18.12%

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

$616 €539

$408 KWD 125

51.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$6,576 KWD 2,021

150.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$42.81 KWD 13.16

139.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$42.43 KWD 13.04

-1.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$86.4 KWD 26.57

9.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$82.9 KWD 25.50

47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$784 KWD 241

108.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$621 KWD 191

98.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$1,604 KWD 493

93.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$1,277 KWD 393

59.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$3,210 KWD 987

-49.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.14

-46.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Shaab: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $784 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 100% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $82.0 in Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $179, 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 66% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,378 including rent). Shaab is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 100% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $784 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $408 in Shaab. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,378 in Shaab versus $2,291 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 66% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.