Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zahlah Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zahlah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,063 in Zahlah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,686 in Zahlah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,308 in Zahlah.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 115% more expensive than in Zahlah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Zahlah is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$10.71 LBP 958.9K

51.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$59.0 LBP 5.3M

7.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$7.90 LBP 706.8K

30.63%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.28 LBP 293.7K

-13.72%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.56 LBP 140.0K

46.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

81.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.57 LBP 319.2K

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.03 LBP 181.9K

98.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.97 LBP 87.0K

12.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.84 LBP 75.6K

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.77 LBP 158.8K

-0.56%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.18 LBP 284.4K

-0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$11.15 LBP 998.1K

18.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$9.40 LBP 841.7K

-15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$11.22 LBP 1.0M

38.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.73 LBP 154.8K

36.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.53 LBP 136.7K

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

77.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.10 LBP 98.2K

120.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

89.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.04 LBP 93.0K

95.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.83 LBP 73.9K

131.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.53 LBP 47.4K

60.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.54 LBP 227.4K

159.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$9.90 LBP 886.4K

-43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.28 LBP 114.3K

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.21 LBP 198.0K

34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$5.07 LBP 454.0K

-16.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.28 LBP 114.2K

-36.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$19.88 LBP 1.8M

-7.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.96 LBP 86.2K

116.67%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-0.44%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

40.12%

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

$148 €130

$214 LBP 19.2M

-30.96%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$38.31 LBP 3.4M

-46.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$37.80 LBP 3.4M

4.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$8.22 LBP 735.4K

12.17%

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

$616 €539

$298 LBP 26.7M

106.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,511 LBP 403.8M

264.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$71.8 LBP 6.4M

43.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$45.62 LBP 4.1M

-8.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$125 LBP 11.2M

-24.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$92.6 LBP 8.3M

31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$199 LBP 17.8M

519.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$399 LBP 35.7M

409.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.16

-65.86%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $59.0 in Zahlah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $225 per month, with Zahlah 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 Zahlah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zahlah differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,063 including rent). Zahlah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $1,595 in Zahlah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $1,063 in Zahlah – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Zahlah versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zahlah but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zahlah 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 Zahlah 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 Zahlah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.