Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zakho Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zakho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $879 in Zakho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,278 in Zakho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,676 in Zakho.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 161% more expensive than in Zakho, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Zakho is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

127.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$44.26 IQD 58.0K

42.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$8.17 IQD 10.7K

41.74%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.81 IQD 4,993

-18.64%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.07 IQD 1,403

132.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.41 IQD 538

324.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$6.14 IQD 8,037

-43.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.57 IQD 5,983

-24.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.27 IQD 1,657

-9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.82 IQD 1,069

132.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.76 IQD 2,308

-14.77%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.77 IQD 2,317

124.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$8.19 IQD 10.7K

62.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$5.52 IQD 7,228

45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$14.97 IQD 19.6K

20.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.10 IQD 1,439

113.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.11 IQD 1,457

57.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.23 IQD 1,614

50.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.80 IQD 1,042

218.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.74 IQD 973

148.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.73 IQD 958

187.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.80 IQD 1,046

86.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.59 IQD 772

38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.45 IQD 3,211

189.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$12.65 IQD 16.6K

-53.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.70 IQD 2,231

-22.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.06 IQD 2,697

3.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.96 IQD 2,570

108.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.79 IQD 2,341

-36.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$6.61 IQD 8,654

158.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.68 IQD 892

239.71%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

92.92%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

108.83%

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

$169 €147

$127 IQD 166.0K

32.94%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$13.60 IQD 17.8K

42.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$28.07 IQD 36.8K

19.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$11.44 IQD 15.0K

-16.35%

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

$696 €607

$317 IQD 414.5K

119.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$3,093 IQD 4.1M

461.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

245.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

142.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$50.6 IQD 66.2K

98.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

212.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$115 IQD 151.2K

1339.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$223 IQD 291.7K

459.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$315 IQD 412.6K

840.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$276 IQD 361.1K

642.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$657 IQD 860.6K

148.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

2.53

49.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Zakho: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $115 in Zakho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 148% 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 $44.00 in Zakho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $205 per month, with Zakho 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 Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zakho differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $879 including rent). Zakho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 148% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $115 in Zakho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $879 in Zakho – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Zakho versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zakho but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zakho 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 Zakho 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 Zakho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.