Cost of Living Comparison Between Bosaso and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bosaso and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $418 in Bosaso versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $684 in Bosaso versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $951 in Bosaso versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Bosaso costs roughly 82% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bosaso is 69% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 SOS 1,123

$16.19 €14.17

-87.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.07 SOS 5,720

$63.3 €55.4

-84.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 SOS 2,757

$10.32 €9.03

-53.00%

Cappuccino

$1.23 SOS 701

$2.83 €2.48

-56.54%

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

$0.98 SOS 558

$2.29 €2.00

-57.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 SOS 286

$1.58 €1.38

-68.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 SOS 1,461

$1.09 €0.95

135.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SOS 556

$1.75 €1.53

-44.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 SOS 581

$1.76 €1.54

-42.05%

Eggs

$1.84 SOS 1,047

$3.17 €2.77

-41.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 SOS 3,384

$13.19 €11.54

-54.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 SOS 3,747

$7.97 €6.97

-17.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 SOS 3,054

$15.53 €13.59

-65.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SOS 2,019

$2.37 €2.07

49.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 SOS 1,982

$1.71 €1.49

104.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 SOS 1,729

$2.01 €1.76

51.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 SOS 1,118

$2.43 €2.13

-18.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 SOS 1,146

$1.76 €1.54

14.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SOS 555

$2.03 €1.78

-51.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SOS 917

$0.85 €0.74

89.41%

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)

$0.31 SOS 177

$2.28 €1.99

-86.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 SOS 831

$4.23 €3.70

-65.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 SOS 351

$0.81 €0.71

-23.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SOS 1,681

$18.44 €16.13

-83.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

$2.08 €1.82

-50.96%

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

$3,997 SOS 2.3M

$34.7K €30.3K

-88.47%

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

$8,976 SOS 5.1M

$39.2K €34.3K

-77.08%

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

$148 €130

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

$9.98 SOS 5,668

$20.46 €17.90

-51.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.46 SOS 17.9K

$39.56 €34.61

-20.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.82 SOS 6,145

$103 €89.9

-89.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.24 SOS 8,657

$41.74 €36.52

-63.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$12.89 SOS 7,324

$94.8 €82.9

-86.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.90 SOS 8,464

$122 €107

-87.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 SOS 70.2K

$1,633 €1,428

-92.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.5 SOS 47.4K

$1,232 €1,078

-93.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 SOS 112.8K

$3,098 €2,711

-93.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 SOS 106.3K

$2,031 €1,777

-90.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

$7,831 €6,851

279.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$299 SOS 169.9K

$1,607 €1,406

-81.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.57

3.81

124.93%

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

Last update for Bosaso: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Bosaso and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 437% 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: $10.00 in Bosaso vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $267 per month, with Bosaso 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

Bosaso vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bosaso and Lisbon differ by about 448% in total monthly costs ($418 vs $2,291 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 437% 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: $124 in Bosaso versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bosaso – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $418 per month in Bosaso versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 448% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $418 in Bosaso versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bosaso but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bosaso 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, Bosaso 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 Bosaso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 448% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.