Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $679 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,091 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,503 in Shymkent.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 226% more expensive than Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Shymkent is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$9.57 ₸4,664

66.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$19.66 ₸9,579

229.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$6.77 ₸3,298

55.24%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.87 ₸912

53.48%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.01 ₸490

121.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.44 ₸213

240.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.16 ₸563

200.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.91 ₸930

103.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.10 ₸534

3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.30 ₸148

483.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.57 ₸767

12.10%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.44 ₸702

123.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$7.95 ₸3,871

69.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.24 ₸2,066

86.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$6.50 ₸3,166

144.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.00 ₸489

131.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.84 ₸894

-7.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.89 ₸920

6.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.02 ₸499

141.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.47 ₸231

291.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.38 ₸184

426.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.78 ₸378

147.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.64 ₸311

23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$1.91 ₸930

246.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$3.97 ₸1,935

44.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.93 ₸454

47.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.38 ₸673

115.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.16 ₸77.7

1381.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.84 ₸409

410.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.63 ₸308

30.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$5.91 ₸2,879

209.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.46 ₸222

347.83%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$19.8K ₸9.7M

72.88%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$24.6K ₸12.0M

60.00%

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

$148 €127

$51.1 ₸24.9K

189.66%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$8.84 ₸4,306

132.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$12.49 ₸6,086

217.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$32.82 ₸16.0K

45.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$7.69 ₸3,748

146.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$4.75 ₸2,315

93.26%

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

$614 €529

$49.35 ₸24.0K

1144.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$4,935 ₸2.4M

225.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$32.43 ₸15.8K

222.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$30.01 ₸14.6K

40.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$123 ₸59.7K

-23.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$46.31 ₸22.6K

158.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$306 ₸149.1K

431.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$177 ₸86.4K

607.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$470 ₸229.2K

544.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$354 ₸172.4K

470.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$1,040 ₸506.5K

650.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$911 ₸443.6K

369.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$401 ₸195.1K

300.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

19.5

-80.46%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $306 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 300% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $148 per month, with Shymkent cheaper across the board.

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 Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Shymkent differ by about 226% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $679 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 300% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $306 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $679 in Shymkent – a 226% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $679 in Shymkent versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shymkent but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Shymkent 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 Shymkent 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 Shymkent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 226% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.