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: $408 in Bosaso versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $677 in Bosaso versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $946 in Bosaso versus $4,411 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 70% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 SOS 1,105

$15.91 €13.69

-87.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.15 SOS 5,766

$64.8 €55.7

-84.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 SOS 2,817

$10.51 €9.04

-52.81%

Cappuccino

$1.22 SOS 695

$2.87 €2.47

-57.49%

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

$0.98 SOS 558

$2.24 €1.93

-56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SOS 288

$1.50 €1.29

-66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 SOS 1,393

$1.14 €0.98

114.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SOS 560

$1.75 €1.51

-43.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 SOS 553

$1.76 €1.51

-44.89%

Eggs

$1.83 SOS 1,037

$3.22 €2.77

-43.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 SOS 3,451

$13.49 €11.61

-54.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 SOS 3,623

$7.91 €6.81

-19.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.55 SOS 3,151

$15.87 €13.65

-65.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 SOS 1,962

$2.31 €1.99

49.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.58 SOS 2,036

$1.70 €1.46

110.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 SOS 1,727

$2.01 €1.73

51.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 SOS 1,113

$2.46 €2.12

-20.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 SOS 1,118

$1.84 €1.59

7.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 SOS 584

$2.00 €1.72

-48.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SOS 961

$0.79 €0.68

113.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 SOS 162

$2.37 €2.04

-87.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 SOS 831

$4.29 €3.69

-65.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 332

$0.82 €0.70

-29.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SOS 1,681

$18.30 €15.74

-83.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

$2.06 €1.78

-50.49%

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

$4,068 SOS 2.3M

$34.3K €29.5K

-88.13%

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

$9,161 SOS 5.2M

$39.3K €33.8K

-76.69%

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

$148 €127

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

$10.08 SOS 5,723

$20.52 €17.65

-50.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.93 SOS 18.1K

$39.61 €34.08

-19.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.16 SOS 6,340

$105 €90.0

-89.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.77 SOS 8,388

$42.06 €36.18

-64.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$13.07 SOS 7,426

$94.0 €80.8

-86.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.96 SOS 8,496

$120 €103

-87.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 SOS 72.1K

$1,628 €1,400

-92.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

$1,255 €1,080

-93.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 SOS 113.4K

$3,030 €2,607

-93.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 SOS 109.6K

$2,020 €1,738

-90.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

$7,800 €6,709

280.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 SOS 172.2K

$1,603 €1,379

-81.09%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Bosaso and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 429% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $269 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 442% in total monthly costs ($408 vs $2,210 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 429% 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: $127 in Bosaso versus $1,628 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $408 per month in Bosaso versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 442% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $408 in Bosaso versus $2,210 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 442% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.