Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Zakho and Lisbon
For one person, living is cheaper in Zakho: $725 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zakho and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $725 in Zakho versus $2,210 in Lisbon.
Zakho $725
Lisbon $2,210
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,158 in Zakho versus $3,275 in Lisbon.
Zakho $1,158
Lisbon $3,275
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Zakho versus $4,341 in Lisbon.
Zakho $1,591
Lisbon $4,341
🌍
Living in Zakho costs roughly 67% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Zakho is 47% below, Lisbon is 62% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.18IQD 6,310
$16.65€14.91
-74.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.97IQD 55.9K
$61.7€55.3
-40.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.14IQD 10.8K
$11.36€10.17
-37.15%
Cappuccino
$3.21IQD 4,856
$2.97€2.66
8.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83IQD 1,256
$2.29€2.05
-63.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33IQD 506
$1.74€1.56
-81.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.65IQD 8,535
$3.40€3.05
66.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94IQD 5,960
$3.31€2.96
19.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10IQD 1,669
$1.16€1.04
-5.17%
White Bread(500g)
$0.68IQD 1,023
$1.91€1.71
-64.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.50IQD 2,271
$1.51€1.35
-0.66%
Eggs
$1.58IQD 2,382
$4.02€3.60
-60.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.88IQD 10.4K
$12.94€11.59
-46.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.26IQD 6,440
$7.77€6.96
-45.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.69IQD 19.2K
$17.76€15.91
-28.55%
Apples(1kg)
$0.98IQD 1,484
$2.30€2.06
-57.39%
Banana(1kg)
$0.94IQD 1,414
$1.73€1.55
-45.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.02IQD 1,536
$1.86€1.66
-45.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.65IQD 986
$2.59€2.32
-74.90%
Potato(1kg)
$0.61IQD 920
$1.82€1.63
-66.48%
Onion(1kg)
$0.59IQD 895
$1.97€1.76
-70.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.61IQD 926
$1.47€1.32
-58.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51IQD 775
$0.72€0.65
-29.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18IQD 3,300
$6.58€5.90
-66.87%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.80IQD 16.3K
$5.61€5.02
92.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46IQD 2,213
$1.36€1.22
7.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81IQD 2,737
$2.14€1.91
-15.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29IQD 439
$2.33€2.09
-87.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$44.68€40.01
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.68IQD 2,546
$3.85€3.45
-56.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.61IQD 2,440
$1.07€0.96
50.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.65IQD 8,531
$16.46€14.74
-65.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.59IQD 886
$2.20€1.97
-73.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.5KIQD 24.9M
$34.2K€30.6K
-51.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.1KIQD 25.8M
$38.7K€34.7K
-55.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$115IQD 173.5K
$161€144
-28.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.27IQD 18.5K
$18.41€16.49
-33.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.28IQD 36.7K
$32.74€29.32
-25.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.56IQD 59.8K
$44.55€39.90
-11.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.10€17.10
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.75IQD 14.7K
$9.60€8.60
1.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$298IQD 450.7K
$668€598
-55.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,742IQD 4.1M
$17.6K€15.8K
-84.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.56IQD 40.1K
$102€91.4
-73.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.78IQD 29.9K
$44.46€39.82
-55.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$49.59IQD 74.9K
$98.5€88.2
-49.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.81IQD 60.1K
$124€111
-67.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$207IQD 313.3K
$1,608€1,440
-87.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$136IQD 205.0K
$1,190€1,066
-88.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$370IQD 558.5K
$2,812€2,519
-86.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$319IQD 482.7K
$2,013€1,803
-84.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$888IQD 1.3M
$7,839€7,021
-88.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$551IQD 833.0K
$4,576€4,098
-87.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zakho
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$660IQD 997.8K
$1,575€1,411
-58.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.53
3.85
-34.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Zakho: October 25, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Zakho
$172 23.8%
Lisbon
$272 12.3% ↑ 58.2%$100
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zakho
$151 20.9%
Lisbon
$212 9.6% ↑ 40.3%$61
🏠Accommodation & Living
Zakho
$136 18.7%
Lisbon
$1.2K 53.8% ↑ 777%$1.1K
🍽Eating Out
Zakho
$134 18.5%
Lisbon
$243 11% ↑ 80.8%$108
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Zakho
$61 8.4%
Lisbon
$166 7.5% ↑ 172%$105
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Zakho
$59 8.2%
Lisbon
$64 2.9% ↑ 7.9%$4.7
🚌Getting Around
Zakho
$11 * 1.5%
Lisbon
$63 2.9% ↑ 479%$52
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Zakho
$391 24.6%
Lisbon
$649 15% ↑ 66.1%$258
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zakho
$164 10.3%
Lisbon
$231 5.3% ↑ 41%$67
🏠Accommodation & Living
Zakho
$319 20.1%
Lisbon
$2K 46.4% ↑ 530%$1.7K
🍽Eating Out
Zakho
$441 27.7%
Lisbon
$801 18.5% ↑ 81.7%$360
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Zakho
$136 8.5%
Lisbon
$369 8.5% ↑ 172%$233
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Zakho
$118 * 7.4%
Lisbon
$147 3.4% ↑ 24.1%$28
🚌Getting Around
Zakho
$22 * 1.4%
Lisbon
$131 3% ↑ 484%$109
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Zakho and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lisbon pays about 2.4 times 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: $37 in Zakho vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $272 per month, with Zakho cheaper across the board.
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
Zakho vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Zakho and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $725 in Zakho and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Zakho is about 67% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Zakho. 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 Zakho and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $207 in Zakho versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Zakho or Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $725 per month in Zakho versus $2,210 in Lisbon – Zakho is about 67% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $725 in Zakho versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zakho but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zakho the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Zakho 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 Zakho or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Zakho and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Zakho and Lisbon?
It comes down to priorities – Zakho wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.