Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $933 in Cotonou versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Cotonou versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,062 in Cotonou versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 59% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 32% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 F CFA 2,990

$17.55 €15.12

-69.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.57 F CFA 20.7K

$64.5 €55.6

-43.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 F CFA 5,552

$11.65 €10.04

-15.62%

Cappuccino

$5.39 F CFA 3,046

$3.26 €2.81

65.34%

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

$1.08 F CFA 608

$2.49 €2.15

-56.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 F CFA 557

$1.67 €1.44

-40.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 F CFA 481

$3.47 €2.99

-75.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

$3.58 €3.08

-26.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 F CFA 1,760

$1.18 €1.02

163.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 F CFA 697

$1.95 €1.68

-36.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,082

$1.56 €1.35

23.08%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,557

$4.01 €3.46

-31.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 F CFA 5,605

$13.27 €11.44

-25.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 F CFA 3,192

$8.42 €7.26

-32.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.27 F CFA 2,978

$18.23 €15.72

-71.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

$2.32 €2.00

84.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 F CFA 1,057

$1.73 €1.49

8.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 F CFA 751

$1.93 €1.67

-31.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 F CFA 1,587

$2.64 €2.27

6.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 F CFA 742

$1.90 €1.64

-31.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 F CFA 1,030

$2.11 €1.82

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 273

$1.44 €1.24

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 634

$0.80 €0.69

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 F CFA 1,950

$7.01 €6.04

-50.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.31 F CFA 2,437

$5.92 €5.11

-27.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$1.36 €1.18

-7.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 F CFA 1,095

$2.15 €1.85

-9.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 F CFA 739

$2.38 €2.05

-44.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 F CFA 809

$4.19 €3.61

-65.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 F CFA 791

$1.10 €0.95

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 F CFA 687

$2.25 €1.94

-45.78%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.8M

$41.6K €35.9K

-41.51%

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

$155 F CFA 87.6K

$171 €147

-9.28%

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

$35.18 F CFA 19.9K

$19.01 €16.38

85.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.94 F CFA 28.2K

$34.28 €29.55

45.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 F CFA 28.9K

$49.65 €42.80

2.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

$19.51 €16.81

-82.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 F CFA 5,041

$10.10 €8.71

-11.68%

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

$135 F CFA 76.5K

$699 €603

-80.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,847 F CFA 3.3M

$17.8K €15.3K

-67.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.84 F CFA 15.2K

$105 €90.2

-74.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.63 F CFA 20.1K

$102 €87.8

-65.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 F CFA 39.8K

$128 €111

-45.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 F CFA 105.3K

$1,661 €1,432

-88.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 99.1K

$1,228 €1,059

-85.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 F CFA 349.8K

$2,915 €2,513

-78.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 F CFA 237.0K

$2,023 €1,744

-79.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 F CFA 148.1K

$1,619 €1,396

-83.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.82%

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

Last update for Cotonou: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $186 in Cotonou and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 518% 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: $37.00 in Cotonou vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $281 per month, with Cotonou 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

Cotonou vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 143% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 518% 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: $186 in Cotonou versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $933 per month in Cotonou versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $933 in Cotonou versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cotonou 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 Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.