Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Riffa and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Riffa: $1,211 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Riffa, Bahrain
Lisbon, Portugal
Riffa
🇧🇭 Bahrain
$1,211
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Riffa and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Riffa and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Riffa versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Riffa $1,211
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Riffa versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Riffa $1,868
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,525 in Riffa versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Riffa $2,525
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Riffa costs roughly 45% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riffa is 11% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.32 BHD 1.99
$16.65 €14.85
-68.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.15 BHD 15.01
$61.7 €55.1
-34.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.85 BHD 2.19
$11.36 €10.13
-48.50%
Cappuccino
$3.93 BHD 1.47
$2.97 €2.65
32.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 BHD 0.24
$2.29 €2.04
-72.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 BHD 0.10
$1.74 €1.55
-85.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.71 BHD 2.51
$3.40 €3.04
97.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.96 BHD 2.98
$3.31 €2.95
140.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 BHD 0.52
$1.16 €1.03
20.69%
White Bread (500g)
$0.67 BHD 0.25
$1.91 €1.71
-64.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 BHD 0.69
$1.51 €1.35
21.85%
Eggs
$2.22 BHD 0.83
$4.02 €3.59
-44.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.16 BHD 3.05
$12.94 €11.54
-36.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.00 BHD 2.25
$7.77 €6.94
-22.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.54 BHD 3.19
$17.76 €15.85
-51.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 BHD 0.85
$2.30 €2.06
-1.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 BHD 0.66
$1.73 €1.55
2.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.83 BHD 0.68
$1.86 €1.66
-1.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.07 BHD 0.40
$2.59 €2.31
-58.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.06 BHD 0.40
$1.82 €1.62
-41.76%
Onion (1kg)
$0.63 BHD 0.24
$1.97 €1.76
-68.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.51 BHD 0.19
$1.47 €1.31
-65.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 BHD 0.19
$0.72 €0.65
-30.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.33 BHD 1.99
$6.58 €5.87
-19.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.15 BHD 4.92
$5.61 €5.00
134.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 BHD 0.70
$1.36 €1.22
37.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 BHD 1.01
$2.14 €1.91
25.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 BHD 0.29
$2.33 €2.08
-67.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.33 BHD 13.21
$44.68 €39.86
-20.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.29 BHD 1.98
$3.85 €3.43
37.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.53 BHD 1.32
$1.07 €0.95
229.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.70 BHD 4.00
$16.46 €14.69
-34.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.50 BHD 0.19
$2.20 €1.96
-77.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K BHD 8,522
$34.2K €30.5K
-33.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K BHD 7,254
$38.7K €34.5K
-49.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$133 BHD 49.56
$161 €144
-17.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.38 BHD 9.12
$18.41 €16.43
32.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.65 BHD 13.33
$32.74 €29.21
8.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.5 BHD 27.49
$44.55 €39.74
65.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.07 BHD 4.89
$19.10 €17.04
-31.57%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 BHD 3.96
$9.60 €8.56
10.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$633 BHD 237
$668 €596
-5.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,805 BHD 2,171
$17.6K €15.7K
-67.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.31 BHD 10.96
$102 €91.0
-71.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.27 BHD 7.95
$44.46 €39.67
-52.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.3 BHD 25.17
$98.5 €87.9
-31.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.08 BHD 14.61
$124 €110
-68.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$919 BHD 344
$1,608 €1,435
-42.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$426 BHD 159
$1,190 €1,062
-64.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,524 BHD 570
$2,812 €2,509
-45.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$850 BHD 318
$2,013 €1,796
-57.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,839 €6,994
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,576 €4,082
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Riffa
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,411 BHD 528
$1,575 €1,405
-10.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.5
3.85
42.86%

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

Last update for Riffa: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Riffa
$426
Lisbon
$1.2K 179% $764
Groceries & Markets
Riffa
$205
Lisbon
$272 32.7% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Riffa
$193
Lisbon
$212 10.3% $20
Eating Out
Riffa
$160
Lisbon
$243 51.3% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Riffa
$95
Lisbon
$64 32.7% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Riffa
$71
Lisbon
$166 135% $95
Getting Around
Riffa
$61
Lisbon
$63 3% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $919 in Riffa and $1,608 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: $40 in Riffa vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $272 per month, with Riffa cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇭 Riffa
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
23:32 11:32 PM
20:32 8:32 PM
3 h behind Riffa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
121,566
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to BHD – Bahraini Dinar Converter

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.374 BHD (1 BHD = 2.67 USD). 1 EUR = 0.419 BHD (1 BHD = 2.39 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Riffa Lisbon 5,670 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Riffa
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Riffa and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,211 in Riffa and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Riffa is about 45% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Riffa. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Riffa and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $919 in Riffa versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Riffa and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $633 in Riffa versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,211 in Riffa versus $2,210 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.
How does quality of life compare between Riffa and Lisbon?
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.
Is Riffa or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Riffa and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Riffa or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Riffa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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