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: $978 in Cotonou versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,407 in Cotonou versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Cotonou versus $4,384 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 27% below, Lisbon is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 F CFA 1,946

$16.17 €13.81

-78.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

$64.6 €55.1

-58.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 F CFA 2,937

$10.38 €8.86

-49.52%

Cappuccino

$5.52 F CFA 3,093

$2.77 €2.37

99.28%

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

$0.86 F CFA 483

$2.25 €1.92

-61.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 F CFA 435

$1.57 €1.34

-50.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 F CFA 813

$3.49 €2.98

-58.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 F CFA 1,954

$4.00 €3.42

-12.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 F CFA 1,484

$1.08 €0.93

145.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 F CFA 773

$1.74 €1.49

-20.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 F CFA 1,035

$1.74 €1.48

6.32%

Eggs

$2.18 F CFA 1,220

$3.18 €2.71

-31.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 F CFA 5,173

$13.43 €11.47

-31.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 F CFA 2,760

$7.99 €6.83

-38.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 F CFA 2,874

$16.09 €13.74

-68.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 F CFA 2,181

$2.28 €1.95

70.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 770

$1.72 €1.47

-20.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 F CFA 709

$1.94 €1.66

-34.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 989

$2.54 €2.17

-30.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 788

$1.83 €1.56

-22.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 F CFA 810

$2.04 €1.74

-28.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 266

$1.98 €1.69

-75.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 717

$0.85 €0.73

50.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 F CFA 1,307

$6.85 €5.85

-65.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 F CFA 3,655

$5.78 €4.93

12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 F CFA 697

$1.37 €1.17

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 F CFA 1,279

$2.90 €2.48

-21.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,011

$2.28 €1.95

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 F CFA 809

$4.08 €3.48

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 704

$0.82 €0.70

53.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 F CFA 1,004

$18.27 €15.60

-90.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 F CFA 595

$2.01 €1.71

-47.26%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

$38.5K €32.9K

-36.89%

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

$269 F CFA 150.7K

$145 €124

85.06%

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

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

$20.96 €17.90

113.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

$40.05 €34.21

38.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

$48.79 €41.66

20.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.44 F CFA 3,047

$18.69 €15.97

-70.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 F CFA 4,217

$9.06 €7.74

-16.89%

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

$189 F CFA 106.0K

$607 €518

-68.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

$16.3K €13.9K

-60.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.58 F CFA 9,851

$105 €89.4

-83.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.64 F CFA 4,840

$40.95 €34.97

-78.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,064

$93.6 €79.9

-90.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

$119 €101

-58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 F CFA 113.1K

$1,604 €1,370

-87.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 83.5K

$1,236 €1,055

-87.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 F CFA 323.3K

$3,046 €2,601

-81.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 F CFA 159.5K

$2,057 €1,756

-86.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Cotonou and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $271 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 128% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,467 in Cotonou and $3,341 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $202 in Cotonou versus $1,604 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 $978 per month in Cotonou versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 128% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Cotonou versus $2,227 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 128% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.