Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $757 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,206 per month in Bulawayo vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,654 per month in Bulawayo vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 67% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bulawayo sits 45% below the global median, while Lisbon is 69% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ZWL 124

$17.30 €14.87

-73.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.35 ZWL 811

$63.3 €54.4

-52.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ZWL 132

$11.39 €9.79

-56.63%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ZWL 55.1

$3.19 €2.74

-35.42%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.93

$2.45 €2.10

-80.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ZWL 9.76

$1.76 €1.52

-78.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ZWL 40.44

$3.59 €3.09

-57.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$3.39 €2.92

-41.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.38

$1.24 €1.06

33.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.34

$1.98 €1.71

-48.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZWL 42.16

$1.52 €1.31

3.95%

Eggs

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

$4.04 €3.47

-52.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 ZWL 260

$13.54 €11.64

-27.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ZWL 104

$8.39 €7.21

-53.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.54 ZWL 121

$18.25 €15.69

-75.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ZWL 47.72

$2.29 €1.97

-21.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.18

$1.74 €1.50

-11.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ZWL 64.1

$1.86 €1.60

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 27.07

$2.63 €2.26

-61.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ZWL 34.13

$1.92 €1.65

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ZWL 37.86

$2.09 €1.80

-32.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZWL 30.81

$1.44 €1.24

-20.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZWL 21.64

$0.84 €0.72

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

$6.78 €5.83

-77.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$5.71 €4.91

-12.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.44

$1.38 €1.18

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ZWL 49.42

$2.22 €1.91

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ZWL 20.70

$2.40 €2.06

-67.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.60 ZWL 791

$46.78 €40.22

-36.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ZWL 82.5

$4.17 €3.59

-25.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

$1.14 €0.98

70.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 ZWL 133

$17.68 €15.20

-71.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.49

$2.32 €2.00

-28.45%

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

$24.7K ZWL 660.6K

$35.3K €30.4K

-30.04%

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

$25.5K ZWL 681.0K

$41.4K €35.6K

-38.51%

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

$94.6 ZWL 2,529

$170 €146

-44.44%

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

$17.39 ZWL 465

$19.34 €16.62

-10.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 ZWL 2,840

$33.64 €28.92

215.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.76 ZWL 822

$48.10 €41.35

-36.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.77 ZWL 528

$19.90 €17.11

-0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ZWL 269

$9.92 €8.53

1.61%

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

$230 ZWL 6,158

$717 €617

-67.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,527 ZWL 94.2K

$17.5K €15.0K

-79.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 574

$105 €90.1

-79.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.44 ZWL 306

$46.95 €40.36

-75.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.01 ZWL 1,229

$103 €88.9

-55.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 ZWL 1,534

$124 €107

-53.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 ZWL 4,595

$1,677 €1,441

-89.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 ZWL 2,929

$1,271 €1,093

-91.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 ZWL 11.0K

$2,985 €2,566

-86.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ZWL 8,672

$1,992 €1,713

-83.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,082 ZWL 55.6K

$7,826 €6,728

-73.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 ZWL 54.7K

$4,658 €4,004

-56.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$304 ZWL 8,113

$1,583 €1,361

-80.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

295.78%

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

Last update for Bulawayo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $172 in Bulawayo versus $1,677 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 421% 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 $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $283 – making Bulawayo 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

Bulawayo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 206%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,135 per month in Bulawayo and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $757 in Bulawayo and $2,316 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $757, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bulawayo. 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.