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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,378 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,321 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,263 in Shaab.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 60% more expensive than Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Shaab 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$10.09 KWD 3.09

57.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$81.4 KWD 24.97

-20.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.76 KWD 2.69

19.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$5.86 KWD 1.80

-51.02%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.68 KWD 0.21

229.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.38 KWD 0.12

294.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-29.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.24 KWD 0.38

41.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.73 KWD 0.53

1.73%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.09 KWD 0.64

54.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$5.17 KWD 1.58

160.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.59 KWD 2.02

20.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$10.23 KWD 3.14

55.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.46 KWD 0.76

-6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-9.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.79 KWD 0.55

12.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.50 KWD 0.46

64.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.24 KWD 0.38

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.26 KWD 0.39

58.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.61 KWD 0.49

19.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.45 KWD 0.14

75.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.99 KWD 0.92

121.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.90 KWD 0.27

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$45.00 KWD 13.80

1.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.30 KWD 1.01

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-74.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$16.30 KWD 5.00

12.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.36 KWD 0.11

472.22%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$21.3K KWD 6,525

61.14%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$19.9K KWD 6,114

97.10%

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

$148 €127

$62.6 KWD 19.20

136.21%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$18.95 KWD 5.81

8.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$25.89 KWD 7.94

52.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$94.5 KWD 28.97

-49.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$45.50 KWD 13.95

-58.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$11.52 KWD 3.53

-20.31%

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

$614 €528

$407 KWD 125

50.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,485 KWD 1,989

147.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$42.61 KWD 13.07

145.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$42.28 KWD 12.97

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$86.1 KWD 26.41

9.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$81.1 KWD 24.86

47.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$779 KWD 239

109.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$605 KWD 185

107.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,547 KWD 474

95.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,269 KWD 389

59.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$3,219 KWD 987

-50.18%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shaab: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $779 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 101% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $81.0 in Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 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 60% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,378 including rent). Shaab is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Shaab earns 101% less. 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $779 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $407 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 $2,210 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 60% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.