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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,257 per month in Bulawayo vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,735 per month in Bulawayo vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 65% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bulawayo sits 42% below the global median, while Lisbon is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 ZWL 123

$15.91 €13.69

-71.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.15 ZWL 810

$64.8 €55.7

-53.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$10.51 €9.04

-47.48%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

$2.87 €2.47

-16.38%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

$2.24 €1.93

-78.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

$1.50 €1.29

-71.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

$3.49 €3.00

-50.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

$3.88 €3.34

-34.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

$1.14 €0.98

34.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

$1.75 €1.51

-42.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

$1.76 €1.51

1.14%

Eggs

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

$3.22 €2.77

-44.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 ZWL 280

$13.49 €11.61

-22.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ZWL 105

$7.91 €6.81

-50.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 ZWL 117

$15.87 €13.65

-72.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

$2.31 €1.99

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

$1.70 €1.46

-12.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

$2.01 €1.73

10.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

$2.46 €2.12

-54.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

$1.84 €1.59

-35.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

$2.00 €1.72

-32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

$1.93 €1.66

-47.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

$0.79 €0.68

34.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

$6.61 €5.68

-77.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ZWL 133

$5.72 €4.92

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

$1.37 €1.17

8.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

$2.97 €2.56

-26.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

$2.37 €2.04

-78.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 ZWL 815

$45.56 €39.19

-33.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

$4.29 €3.69

-31.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

$0.82 €0.70

178.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

$18.30 €15.74

-72.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

$2.06 €1.78

-19.42%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

$148 €127

-50.96%

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

$18.20 ZWL 489

$20.52 €17.65

-11.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 ZWL 3,572

$39.61 €34.08

235.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 677

$47.85 €41.16

-47.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 264

$9.18 €7.90

7.08%

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

$138 ZWL 3,692

$614 €528

-77.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.07 ZWL 593

$105 €90.0

-78.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.37 ZWL 359

$42.06 €36.18

-68.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

$94.0 €80.8

-27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

$120 €103

-54.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,931

$1,628 €1,400

-88.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ZWL 2,993

$1,255 €1,080

-91.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ZWL 12.5K

$3,030 €2,607

-84.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ZWL 11.0K

$2,020 €1,738

-79.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

$7,800 €6,709

-73.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

$4,273 €3,675

-51.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,116

$1,603 €1,379

-81.15%

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 Bulawayo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $184 in Bulawayo versus $1,628 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 430% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $269 – 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 183%, 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 $1,170 per month in Bulawayo and $3,315 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 $780 in Bulawayo and $2,210 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $780, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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.