Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $510 in Ruwi versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $774 in Ruwi versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,039 in Ruwi versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Ruwi costs roughly 78% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ruwi is 62% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

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

$2.29 €2.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$1.09 €0.95

85.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 OMR 0.75

$1.75 €1.53

11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.76 €1.54

-44.32%

Eggs

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$3.17 €2.77

-62.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$13.19 €11.54

-84.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$7.97 €6.97

-74.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 OMR 1.95

$15.53 €13.59

-67.35%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$2.37 €2.07

-58.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.71 €1.49

-42.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$2.01 €1.76

-49.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$2.43 €2.13

-59.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.76 €1.54

-42.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.92 €1.68

-46.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$0.85 €0.74

16.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

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

$25.58 OMR 9.85

$20.46 €17.90

25.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 OMR 30.22

$39.56 €34.61

98.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 OMR 3.48

$9.22 €8.07

-2.06%

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K OMR 4,911

$16.4K €14.4K

-22.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$1,633 €1,428

-76.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.1

$1,232 €1,078

-79.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 OMR 346

$3,098 €2,711

-70.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 OMR 224

$2,031 €1,777

-71.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,481 OMR 1,725

$1,607 €1,406

178.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Ruwi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Ruwi and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 179% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

Ruwi vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruwi and Lisbon differ by about 349% in total monthly costs ($510 vs $2,291 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 179% higher in Ruwi, 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: $387 in Ruwi versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 125% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $510 per month in Ruwi versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 349% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $510 in Ruwi versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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, Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 349% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.