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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $776 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,352 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,928 in Shymkent.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 198% more expensive than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Shymkent is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$10.77 ₸4,907

60.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$32.49 ₸14.8K

94.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$6.63 ₸3,021

71.79%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.39 ₸1,091

33.47%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.02 ₸467

140.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.53 ₸242

232.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.05 ₸480

241.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.33 ₸607

154.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.46 ₸666

-15.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.42 ₸193

371.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.72 ₸783

-11.63%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.63 ₸741

147.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$10.25 ₸4,670

32.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$5.14 ₸2,343

63.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$8.80 ₸4,009

107.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.18 ₸538

94.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.09 ₸954

-16.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.50 ₸1,139

-25.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.35 ₸614

94.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.53 ₸244

262.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.40 ₸181

422.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.86 ₸392

67.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.83 ₸380

1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.46 ₸1,121

175.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$4.36 ₸1,987

30.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.04 ₸476

32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.54 ₸703

44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.13 ₸60.1

1746.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.83 ₸377

402.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.37 ₸166

208.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$9.78 ₸4,457

80.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.59 ₸267

293.22%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$26.9K ₸12.2M

31.43%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$29.0K ₸13.2M

42.74%

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

$170 €146

$46.53 ₸21.2K

266.06%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$9.10 ₸4,145

112.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$14.64 ₸6,671

129.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$38.70 ₸17.6K

24.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$8.60 ₸3,920

131.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$5.40 ₸2,462

83.70%

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

$717 €617

$56.5 ₸25.7K

1170.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$35.70 ₸16.3K

193.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$33.12 ₸15.1K

41.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$182 ₸82.9K

-43.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$52.1 ₸23.7K

138.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$333 ₸151.8K

403.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$202 ₸91.9K

529.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$693 ₸315.7K

330.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$550 ₸250.7K

262.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,075 ₸489.6K

628.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$974 ₸443.6K

378.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$432 ₸196.9K

266.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

18.25

-79.23%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $333 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 266% 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 $32.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $183 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 198% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $776 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 266% 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $333 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $776 in Shymkent – a 198% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $776 in Shymkent versus $2,316 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 198% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.