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: $1,338 in Riffa versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,021 in Riffa versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Riffa versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Riffa costs roughly 41% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riffa 1% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 BHD 2.57

$15.75 €13.64

-56.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.94 BHD 17.69

$63.5 €55.0

-26.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 BHD 2.20

$10.45 €9.05

-44.11%

Cappuccino

$1.98 BHD 0.75

$2.91 €2.52

-31.96%

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

$0.57 BHD 0.22

$2.29 €1.98

-75.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 BHD 0.10

$1.50 €1.30

-82.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.84 BHD 2.96

$3.56 €3.09

120.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.57 BHD 3.98

$3.96 €3.43

166.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 BHD 0.52

$1.08 €0.94

26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.76 €1.53

-26.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$1.70 €1.47

40.00%

Eggs

$2.17 BHD 0.82

$3.25 €2.81

-33.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.55 BHD 3.22

$13.25 €11.47

-35.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 BHD 2.55

$7.70 €6.67

-11.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 BHD 3.89

$15.77 €13.66

-34.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 BHD 0.92

$2.28 €1.97

7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 BHD 0.68

$1.66 €1.43

9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 BHD 0.63

$2.02 €1.75

-16.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$2.47 €2.14

-52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 BHD 0.36

$1.79 €1.55

-46.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 BHD 0.39

$2.07 €1.79

-50.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 BHD 0.55

$1.97 €1.71

-25.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 BHD 0.19

$0.83 €0.72

-37.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 BHD 2.51

$6.55 €5.68

1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 BHD 4.91

$5.57 €4.82

133.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 BHD 1.29

$1.33 €1.15

157.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 BHD 1.20

$3.01 €2.60

5.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BHD 0.31

$2.27 €1.97

-63.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 BHD 11.80

$46.35 €40.14

-32.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 BHD 1.78

$4.23 €3.66

11.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.02 BHD 1.52

$0.85 €0.73

372.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.40 BHD 9.95

$18.83 €16.31

40.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BHD 0.14

$2.02 €1.75

-81.19%

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

$26.3K BHD 9,915

$35.0K €30.3K

-24.76%

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

$21.2K BHD 7,972

$39.6K €34.3K

-46.65%

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

$120 BHD 45.37

$148 €128

-18.63%

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

$26.57 BHD 10.02

$20.52 €17.77

29.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.18 BHD 14.77

$39.52 €34.23

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 BHD 30.10

$48.17 €41.72

65.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 BHD 3.04

$9.10 €7.88

-11.32%

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

$390 BHD 147

$615 €532

-36.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,512 BHD 2,454

$16.3K €14.1K

-60.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.93 BHD 15.05

$102 €88.0

-60.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 BHD 23.68

$42.09 €36.45

49.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 BHD 25.42

$92.3 €79.9

-26.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.15 BHD 14.76

$122 €106

-67.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 BHD 441

$1,612 €1,396

-27.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 BHD 199

$1,254 €1,086

-57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,144 BHD 808

$3,069 €2,658

-30.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 BHD 355

$2,037 €1,764

-53.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,398 BHD 527

$1,602 €1,387

-12.70%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Riffa and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 15% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $267 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 70% in total monthly costs ($1,338 vs $2,280 including rent). Riffa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Lisbon. 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: $1,169 in Riffa versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $390 in Riffa versus $615 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,338 in Riffa versus $2,280 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 70% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.