Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Boroko and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,120 per month in Boroko vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,557 per month in Boroko vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,995 per month in Boroko vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Boroko is about 51% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Boroko sits 16% below the global median, while Lisbon is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.78 PGK 34.23

$16.19 €14.15

-51.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.91 PGK 167

$63.3 €55.3

-40.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 PGK 25.65

$10.32 €9.02

-43.51%

Cappuccino

$2.26 PGK 9.94

$2.83 €2.47

-20.14%

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

$0.74 PGK 3.27

$2.29 €2.00

-67.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 PGK 3.55

$1.58 €1.38

-48.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 PGK 10.48

$3.40 €2.97

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 PGK 18.18

$4.03 €3.52

2.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 PGK 7.48

$1.09 €0.95

55.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 PGK 5.75

$1.75 €1.53

-25.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PGK 5.82

$1.76 €1.54

-25.00%

Eggs

$3.84 PGK 16.92

$3.17 €2.77

21.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 PGK 18.96

$13.19 €11.53

-67.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 PGK 27.93

$7.97 €6.96

-20.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 PGK 30.71

$15.53 €13.57

-55.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 PGK 18.04

$2.37 €2.07

73.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 PGK 12.32

$1.71 €1.49

63.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 PGK 13.32

$2.01 €1.75

50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 PGK 12.60

$2.43 €2.12

17.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 PGK 13.47

$1.76 €1.54

73.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PGK 4.07

$2.03 €1.78

-54.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 PGK 5.22

$1.92 €1.68

-38.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.19

$0.85 €0.74

-41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 PGK 25.89

$6.58 €5.75

-10.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 PGK 22.70

$5.58 €4.87

-7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 PGK 5.42

$1.33 €1.16

-7.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 PGK 7.60

$2.97 €2.60

-41.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.21

$2.28 €1.99

-78.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.82 PGK 140

$45.79 €40.01

-30.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 PGK 21.26

$4.23 €3.69

14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 PGK 6.35

$0.81 €0.71

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.97 PGK 52.7

$18.44 €16.11

-35.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 PGK 3.77

$2.08 €1.82

-58.65%

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

$22.5K PGK 98.9K

$34.7K €30.3K

-35.15%

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

$24.2K PGK 106.4K

$39.2K €34.2K

-38.23%

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

$66.3 PGK 292

$148 €129

-55.21%

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

$48.00 PGK 211

$20.46 €17.88

134.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$245 PGK 1,076

$39.56 €34.56

518.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.74 PGK 197

$47.99 €41.93

-6.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.49 PGK 68.2

$18.60 €16.25

-16.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 PGK 31.43

$9.22 €8.06

-22.56%

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

$361 PGK 1,589

$616 €538

-41.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,361 PGK 10.4K

$16.4K €14.4K

-85.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.74 PGK 140

$103 €89.7

-69.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.69 PGK 64.6

$41.74 €36.47

-64.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.45 PGK 209

$94.8 €82.8

-49.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.24 PGK 124

$122 €107

-76.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,624 PGK 15.9K

$1,633 €1,426

121.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 PGK 1,037

$1,232 €1,077

-80.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,612 PGK 15.9K

$3,098 €2,707

16.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 PGK 1,045

$2,031 €1,775

-88.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$360 PGK 1,584

$1,607 €1,404

-77.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

188.71%

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

Last update for Boroko: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,624 in Boroko versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 346% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Boroko versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $267 – making Boroko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Boroko vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 105% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,679 per month in Boroko and $3,437 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boroko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $361 per month in Boroko and $616 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,120 in Boroko and $2,291 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $1,120 versus $2,291 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Boroko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.