Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Shuwaikh Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Shuwaikh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,333 in Shuwaikh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,305 in Shuwaikh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,278 in Shuwaikh.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 70% more expensive than in Shuwaikh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Shuwaikh is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$12.84 KWD 3.94

36.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$64.6 KWD 19.79

-0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$9.02 KWD 2.77

29.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 KWD 1.48

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$5.30 KWD 1.63

-38.49%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.71 KWD 0.22

250.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.37 KWD 0.11

351.35%

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

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-26.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.48 KWD 0.45

31.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-20.41%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.13 KWD 0.65

88.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$4.42 KWD 1.36

200.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.72 KWD 2.06

25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.38 KWD 3.18

75.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.54 KWD 0.78

-8.66%

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

$1.56 KWD 0.48

69.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.38 KWD 0.42

37.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.45 KWD 0.44

45.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.30 KWD 0.71

-37.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.54 KWD 0.17

48.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.80 KWD 0.86

150.36%

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

$0.79 KWD 0.24

201.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.82 KWD 1.48

-13.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$3.23 KWD 0.99

-65.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$15.94 KWD 4.89

8.28%

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

$21.4K KWD 6,558

61.14%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$20.3K KWD 6,211

105.45%

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

$171 €147

$65.5 KWD 20.09

160.77%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$22.72 KWD 6.97

-16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$30.56 KWD 9.37

12.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$98.2 KWD 30.09

-49.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$11.22 KWD 3.44

-9.98%

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

$699 €603

$297 KWD 91.1

135.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$9,312 KWD 2,855

90.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$37.63 KWD 11.54

177.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$40.08 KWD 12.29

19.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$98.0 KWD 30.04

3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$87.4 KWD 26.80

46.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$724 KWD 222

129.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$587 KWD 180

109.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,813 KWD 556

60.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,345 KWD 412

50.41%

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

$4,173 KWD 1,279

-61.19%

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 Shuwaikh: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $724 in Shuwaikh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shuwaikh pays 158% 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 Shuwaikh. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $187, with Shuwaikh 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 Shuwaikh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Shuwaikh differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,333 including rent). Shuwaikh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 158% lower in Shuwaikh. 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 $724 in Shuwaikh. 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 $1,333 in Shuwaikh – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,333 in Shuwaikh versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shuwaikh but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Shuwaikh 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 Shuwaikh 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 Shuwaikh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.