Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Buea and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $555 in Buea versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $816 in Buea versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,077 in Buea versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Buea costs roughly 76% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buea is 58% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 FCFA 986

$16.19 €14.17

-89.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 FCFA 3,489

$10.32 €9.03

-41.09%

Cappuccino

$2.17 FCFA 1,242

$2.83 €2.48

-23.32%

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

$1.21 FCFA 695

$2.29 €2.00

-47.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 FCFA 281

$1.58 €1.38

-68.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 FCFA 592

$3.40 €2.98

-69.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 FCFA 791

$4.03 €3.52

-65.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 FCFA 1,783

$1.09 €0.95

185.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 FCFA 222

$1.75 €1.53

-77.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 FCFA 910

$1.76 €1.54

-9.66%

Eggs

$2.67 FCFA 1,529

$3.17 €2.77

-15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.48 FCFA 2,567

$15.53 €13.59

-71.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 FCFA 2,076

$2.37 €2.07

52.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 FCFA 797

$1.71 €1.49

-18.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 FCFA 496

$2.01 €1.76

-57.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 FCFA 817

$2.43 €2.13

-41.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 FCFA 993

$1.76 €1.54

-1.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 831

$2.03 €1.78

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 FCFA 416

$0.85 €0.74

-14.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

Wine (Bottle)

$8.72 FCFA 5,004

$5.58 €4.88

56.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 FCFA 727

$1.33 €1.17

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 FCFA 979

$2.97 €2.60

-42.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.27 FCFA 156

$4.23 €3.70

-93.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 FCFA 267

$0.81 €0.71

-41.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 FCFA 2,951

$18.44 €16.13

-72.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 FCFA 707

$2.08 €1.82

-40.87%

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

$19.1K FCFA 11.0M

$34.7K €30.3K

-44.82%

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

$21.1K FCFA 12.1M

$39.2K €34.3K

-46.00%

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

$61.0 FCFA 35.0K

$148 €130

-58.79%

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

$17.94 FCFA 10.3K

$20.46 €17.90

-12.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 FCFA 63.2K

$39.56 €34.61

178.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.41 FCFA 15.1K

$47.99 €41.99

-44.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.30 FCFA 2,465

$18.60 €16.27

-76.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$618 FCFA 354.4K

$616 €539

0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.64 FCFA 19.9K

$103 €89.9

-66.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 FCFA 39.8K

$122 €107

-43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.6 FCFA 39.9K

$1,633 €1,428

-95.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.5 FCFA 35.8K

$1,232 €1,078

-94.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 FCFA 119.1K

$2,031 €1,777

-89.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 FCFA 74.8K

$1,607 €1,406

-91.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Buea: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.6 in Buea and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1132% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Buea vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buea and Lisbon differ by about 313% in total monthly costs ($555 vs $2,291 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1132% 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: $69.6 in Buea versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Buea versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $555 per month in Buea versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 313% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $555 in Buea versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buea but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Buea 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, Buea 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 Buea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 313% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.