Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zinj Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zinj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $833 in Zinj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,344 in Zinj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,855 in Zinj.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 165% more expensive than Zinj, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Zinj is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$6.64 BHD 2.50

139.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$53.0 BHD 19.98

22.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.32 BHD 2.76

43.58%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$5.26 BHD 1.98

-45.44%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.86 BHD 0.32

160.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.39 BHD 0.15

284.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$7.96 BHD 3.00

-56.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$10.57 BHD 3.98

-63.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.69 BHD 0.64

-32.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.28 BHD 0.48

36.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.32 BHD 0.88

-24.14%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.46 BHD 0.93

30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$8.49 BHD 3.20

58.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.75 BHD 2.92

2.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$10.28 BHD 3.88

54.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.35 BHD 0.89

-1.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.13 BHD 0.80

-20.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.69 BHD 0.64

18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.17 BHD 0.44

110.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.95 BHD 0.36

93.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.07 BHD 0.40

86.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.45 BHD 0.55

33.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.93 BHD 0.35

-15.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$6.67 BHD 2.51

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$18.73 BHD 7.06

-69.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$3.51 BHD 1.32

-60.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.18 BHD 1.20

-6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.52 BHD 1.71

-5.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$4.09 BHD 1.54

-79.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$26.33 BHD 9.93

-30.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.56 BHD 0.21

267.86%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.0K BHD 13.9K

-7.30%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$20.7K BHD 7,801

89.90%

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

$148 €127

$124 BHD 46.76

19.21%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$27.23 BHD 10.27

-24.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$39.09 BHD 14.74

1.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$10.44 BHD 3.93

-12.07%

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

$614 €528

$389 BHD 147

57.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$8,828 BHD 3,328

81.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$46.05 BHD 17.36

127.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$62.3 BHD 23.49

-32.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$83.4 BHD 31.43

12.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$89.2 BHD 33.64

34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

8.56

-55.49%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zinj: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $53.0 in Zinj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $264 per month, with Zinj 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 Zinj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zinj differ by about 165% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $833 including rent). Zinj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,249 in Zinj 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 2% 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 $833 in Zinj – a 165% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $833 in Zinj versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zinj but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zinj 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 Zinj 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 Zinj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.