Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $679 in Shymkent versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,091 in Shymkent versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,503 in Shymkent versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Shymkent costs roughly 69% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shymkent is 49% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.57 ₸4,664

$15.91 €13.70

-39.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.66 ₸9,579

$64.8 €55.8

-69.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 ₸3,298

$10.51 €9.05

-35.59%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₸912

$2.87 €2.47

-34.84%

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

$1.01 ₸490

$2.24 €1.93

-54.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₸213

$1.50 €1.30

-70.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₸563

$3.49 €3.01

-66.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₸930

$3.88 €3.34

-50.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₸534

$1.14 €0.98

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ₸148

$1.75 €1.51

-82.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ₸767

$1.76 €1.51

-10.80%

Eggs

$1.44 ₸702

$3.22 €2.77

-55.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 ₸3,871

$13.49 €11.62

-41.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₸2,066

$7.91 €6.81

-46.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ₸3,166

$15.87 €13.67

-59.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ₸489

$2.31 €1.99

-56.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₸894

$1.70 €1.46

8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸920

$2.01 €1.73

-5.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₸499

$2.46 €2.12

-58.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₸231

$1.84 €1.59

-74.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸184

$2.00 €1.72

-81.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₸378

$1.93 €1.66

-59.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸311

$0.79 €0.68

-18.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 ₸930

$6.61 €5.69

-71.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 ₸1,935

$5.72 €4.93

-30.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸454

$1.37 €1.18

-32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₸673

$2.97 €2.56

-53.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₸77.7

$2.37 €2.04

-93.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₸409

$4.29 €3.69

-80.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₸308

$0.82 €0.70

-23.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ₸2,879

$18.30 €15.76

-67.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸222

$2.06 €1.78

-77.67%

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

$19.8K ₸9.7M

$34.3K €29.5K

-42.16%

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

$24.6K ₸12.0M

$39.3K €33.8K

-37.50%

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

$51.1 ₸24.9K

$148 €127

-65.48%

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

$8.84 ₸4,306

$20.52 €17.67

-56.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.49 ₸6,086

$39.61 €34.11

-68.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.82 ₸16.0K

$47.85 €41.20

-31.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 ₸3,748

$18.92 €16.29

-59.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₸2,315

$9.18 €7.91

-48.26%

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

$49.35 ₸24.0K

$614 €529

-91.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,935 ₸2.4M

$16.0K €13.8K

-69.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.43 ₸15.8K

$105 €90.1

-69.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 ₸14.6K

$42.06 €36.22

-28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ₸59.7K

$94.0 €80.9

30.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.31 ₸22.6K

$120 €103

-61.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₸149.1K

$1,628 €1,402

-81.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₸86.4K

$1,255 €1,081

-85.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₸229.2K

$3,030 €2,609

-84.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₸172.4K

$2,020 €1,740

-82.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,040 ₸506.5K

$7,800 €6,716

-86.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$911 ₸443.6K

$4,273 €3,679

-78.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ₸195.1K

$1,603 €1,381

-75.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

3.81

411.81%

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

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Shymkent and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 300% 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: $20.00 in Shymkent vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $269 per month, with Shymkent 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

Shymkent vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shymkent and Lisbon differ by about 226% in total monthly costs ($679 vs $2,210 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 300% 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: $306 in Shymkent versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $679 per month in Shymkent versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 226% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $679 in Shymkent versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shymkent but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Shymkent 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, Shymkent 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 Shymkent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 226% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.