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: $997 in Cotonou versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Cotonou versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,854 in Cotonou versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 56% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 25% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 F CFA 1,980

$15.75 €13.74

-78.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 F CFA 15.3K

$63.5 €55.3

-57.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 F CFA 2,946

$10.45 €9.11

-50.62%

Cappuccino

$5.56 F CFA 3,175

$2.91 €2.54

91.07%

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

$0.86 F CFA 492

$2.29 €2.00

-62.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 F CFA 449

$1.50 €1.31

-47.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 799

$3.56 €3.11

-60.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 F CFA 2,060

$3.96 €3.46

-8.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,472

$1.08 €0.94

138.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 F CFA 820

$1.76 €1.54

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,100

$1.70 €1.48

12.94%

Eggs

$2.22 F CFA 1,271

$3.25 €2.83

-31.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 F CFA 5,288

$13.25 €11.55

-30.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 F CFA 2,888

$7.70 €6.72

-34.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.16 F CFA 2,949

$15.77 €13.75

-67.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,217

$2.28 €1.99

70.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 784

$1.66 €1.44

-17.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 694

$2.02 €1.76

-40.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 995

$2.47 €2.16

-29.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$1.79 €1.56

-25.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 859

$2.07 €1.80

-27.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 293

$1.97 €1.72

-74.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 705

$0.83 €0.73

48.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 F CFA 1,341

$6.55 €5.71

-64.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,446

$5.57 €4.85

-23.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 F CFA 686

$1.33 €1.16

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 F CFA 1,309

$3.01 €2.62

-23.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

$2.27 €1.98

-20.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 789

$4.23 €3.69

-67.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 F CFA 712

$0.85 €0.74

47.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 994

$18.83 €16.41

-90.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 636

$2.02 €1.76

-45.05%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

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

$24.9K F CFA 14.2M

$39.6K €34.6K

-37.25%

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

$266 F CFA 152.1K

$148 €129

79.94%

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

$43.54 F CFA 24.9K

$20.52 €17.89

112.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 F CFA 32.0K

$39.52 €34.46

41.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 F CFA 33.6K

$48.17 €42.00

22.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,086

$18.39 €16.03

-70.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 F CFA 4,294

$9.10 €7.93

-17.47%

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

$185 F CFA 105.5K

$615 €536

-69.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

$16.3K €14.2K

-60.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,972

$102 €88.6

-82.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,972

$42.09 €36.69

-79.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,169

$92.3 €80.5

-90.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.16 F CFA 28.1K

$122 €106

-59.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 F CFA 113.8K

$1,612 €1,405

-87.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 85.2K

$1,254 €1,093

-88.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 F CFA 326.4K

$3,069 €2,676

-81.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 161.6K

$2,037 €1,776

-86.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 F CFA 97.9K

$1,602 €1,396

-89.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

31.23%

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

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Cotonou and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 835% 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: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $267 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 835% 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: $199 in Cotonou versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Cotonou versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $2,280 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 129% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.