Cost of Living Comparison Between Bamako and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bamako and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Bamako versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Bamako versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Bamako versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 60% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bamako is 34% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 F CFA 4,680

$17.55 €15.09

-52.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.70 F CFA 20.1K

$64.5 €55.5

-44.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 F CFA 4,485

$11.65 €10.01

-31.67%

Cappuccino

$1.70 F CFA 958

$3.26 €2.80

-47.85%

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

$0.91 F CFA 514

$2.49 €2.14

-63.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 F CFA 399

$1.67 €1.44

-57.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 F CFA 1,329

$3.47 €2.99

-31.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.06 F CFA 11.9K

$3.58 €3.07

488.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 F CFA 1,085

$1.18 €1.02

63.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 F CFA 2,181

$1.95 €1.67

98.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

Eggs

$5.89 F CFA 3,319

$4.01 €3.45

46.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.51 F CFA 9,867

$13.27 €11.41

31.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.49 F CFA 8,729

$8.42 €7.24

83.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 F CFA 7,161

$18.23 €15.68

-30.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 F CFA 2,316

$2.32 €2.00

77.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 F CFA 607

$1.73 €1.49

-37.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 F CFA 1,578

$1.93 €1.66

45.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 F CFA 1,152

$2.64 €2.27

-22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 682

$1.90 €1.63

-36.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 F CFA 662

$2.11 €1.82

-44.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.10 F CFA 57.5

$1.44 €1.24

-93.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 F CFA 1,509

$0.80 €0.69

235.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.03

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 F CFA 844

$1.36 €1.17

10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 F CFA 940

$2.15 €1.85

-22.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 709

$1.10 €0.94

14.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 F CFA 638

$2.25 €1.93

-49.78%

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

$34.5K €29.6K

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

$41.6K €35.8K

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

$151 F CFA 85.3K

$171 €147

-11.42%

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

$19.01 €16.34

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 F CFA 37.0K

$34.28 €29.48

91.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 F CFA 39.8K

$49.65 €42.69

42.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.77

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.68

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

$699 €601

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.24

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 F CFA 100.1K

$1,661 €1,428

-89.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.7 F CFA 44.9K

$1,228 €1,056

-93.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 F CFA 281.7K

$2,915 €2,506

-82.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 F CFA 171.4K

$2,023 €1,740

-84.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €6,989

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,227 F CFA 691.7K

$4,635 €3,985

-73.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$259 F CFA 145.8K

$1,619 €1,392

-84.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Bamako: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in Bamako and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 526% 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: $36.00 in Bamako vs $64.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $281, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bamako vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 149% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 526% 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: $178 in Bamako versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Bamako versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $910 in Bamako versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $910 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bamako 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 Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.