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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $678 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,076 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,473 in Shymkent.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 238% more expensive than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Shymkent is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$9.93 ₸4,669

63.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$19.90 ₸9,353

218.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$6.99 ₸3,287

47.64%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.85 ₸868

52.97%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.99 ₸467

131.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.41 ₸192

285.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.15 ₸542

195.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$1.91 ₸898

110.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.15 ₸541

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.30 ₸142

483.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.63 ₸767

7.98%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.44 ₸676

120.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$7.92 ₸3,724

66.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.18 ₸1,967

90.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$6.47 ₸3,042

140.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$0.96 ₸450

146.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.78 ₸837

-3.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.91 ₸896

5.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.02 ₸480

138.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.48 ₸224

266.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.38 ₸178

434.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.79 ₸373

143.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.69 ₸322

23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.99 ₸937

230.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$4.33 ₸2,034

28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.94 ₸443

41.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.33 ₸627

123.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.14 ₸64.0

1528.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.89 ₸418

375.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.62 ₸294

30.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$5.80 ₸2,724

217.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.50 ₸234

316.00%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$19.3K ₸9.1M

79.47%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$23.9K ₸11.2M

63.92%

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

$148 €130

$50.4 ₸23.7K

193.52%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$8.64 ₸4,060

136.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$12.73 ₸5,981

210.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$33.03 ₸15.5K

45.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$7.81 ₸3,670

138.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$5.04 ₸2,367

82.94%

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

$616 €540

$48.24 ₸22.7K

1177.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,849 ₸2.3M

239.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$33.02 ₸15.5K

211.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$29.87 ₸14.0K

39.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$120 ₸56.4K

-21.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$46.86 ₸22.0K

160.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$297 ₸139.7K

449.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$174 ₸81.7K

609.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$475 ₸223.2K

552.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$365 ₸171.5K

456.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,039 ₸488.5K

653.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$935 ₸439.7K

369.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$415 ₸195.2K

287.01%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $297 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 287% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $149 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 238% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $678 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 287% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $297 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $678 in Shymkent – a 238% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $678 in Shymkent versus $2,291 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 238% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.