Cost of Living Comparison Between Riffa and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Riffa and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,379 in Riffa versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,056 in Riffa versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Riffa versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Riffa costs roughly 38% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riffa 3% above, Lisbon 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 BHD 2.45

$16.17 €13.81

-59.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 BHD 17.61

$64.6 €55.1

-27.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 BHD 2.19

$10.38 €8.86

-43.74%

Cappuccino

$1.94 BHD 0.73

$2.77 €2.37

-29.96%

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

$0.62 BHD 0.23

$2.25 €1.92

-72.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 BHD 0.10

$1.57 €1.34

-83.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 BHD 2.94

$3.49 €2.98

124.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.69 BHD 4.02

$4.00 €3.42

167.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 BHD 0.50

$1.08 €0.93

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BHD 0.51

$1.74 €1.49

-22.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$1.74 €1.48

37.93%

Eggs

$2.16 BHD 0.81

$3.18 €2.71

-32.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 BHD 3.28

$13.43 €11.47

-35.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 BHD 2.64

$7.99 €6.83

-12.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 BHD 3.80

$16.09 €13.74

-37.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$2.28 €1.95

3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 BHD 0.72

$1.72 €1.47

11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.66

$1.94 €1.66

-8.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 BHD 0.46

$2.54 €2.17

-51.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$1.83 €1.56

-52.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$2.04 €1.74

-49.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

$1.98 €1.69

-23.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 BHD 0.20

$0.85 €0.73

-36.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 BHD 2.45

$6.85 €5.85

-4.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 BHD 4.95

$5.78 €4.93

128.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 BHD 1.25

$1.37 €1.17

143.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 BHD 1.19

$2.90 €2.48

8.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$2.28 €1.95

-65.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.06 BHD 12.06

$46.84 €40.00

-31.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 BHD 1.79

$4.08 €3.48

16.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.87 BHD 1.45

$0.82 €0.70

371.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.01 BHD 9.78

$18.27 €15.60

42.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BHD 0.14

$2.01 €1.71

-81.09%

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

$26.6K BHD 10.0K

$35.3K €30.1K

-24.43%

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

$20.5K BHD 7,722

$38.5K €32.9K

-46.64%

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

$120 BHD 45.26

$145 €124

-17.21%

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

$26.25 BHD 9.87

$20.96 €17.90

25.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.19 BHD 14.73

$40.05 €34.21

-2.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.7 BHD 30.36

$48.79 €41.66

65.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 BHD 3.03

$9.06 €7.74

-10.93%

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

$395 BHD 149

$607 €518

-34.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,638 BHD 2,496

$16.3K €13.9K

-59.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.23 BHD 15.13

$105 €89.4

-61.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 BHD 23.89

$40.95 €34.97

55.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 BHD 24.87

$93.6 €79.9

-29.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.76 BHD 14.95

$119 €101

-66.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 BHD 441

$1,604 €1,370

-26.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 BHD 201

$1,236 €1,055

-56.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,125 BHD 799

$3,046 €2,601

-30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$937 BHD 352

$2,057 €1,756

-54.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,410 BHD 530

$1,584 €1,353

-11.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

31.23%

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

Last update for Riffa: April 28, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,173 in Riffa and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 12% 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: $47.00 in Riffa vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $271 per month, with Riffa 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

Riffa vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riffa and Lisbon differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,379 vs $2,227 including rent). Riffa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 12% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,173 in Riffa versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $395 in Riffa versus $607 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,379 in Riffa versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Riffa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Riffa 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, Riffa and Lisbon 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 Riffa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.