Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,327 in Dakar versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,194 in Dakar versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,061 in Dakar versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Dakar costs roughly 40% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dakar is 1% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

$15.91 €13.69

-65.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

$64.8 €55.7

-17.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

$10.51 €9.04

-2.85%

Cappuccino

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

$2.87 €2.47

54.36%

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

$0.86 F CFA 484

$2.24 €1.93

-61.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 F CFA 615

$1.50 €1.29

-27.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

$3.49 €3.00

-26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

$3.88 €3.34

12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

$1.14 €0.98

121.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 F CFA 360

$1.75 €1.51

-63.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 F CFA 906

$1.76 €1.51

-8.52%

Eggs

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

$3.22 €2.77

-10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

$13.49 €11.61

-5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

$7.91 €6.81

20.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

$15.87 €13.65

-32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

$2.31 €1.99

17.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

$1.70 €1.46

17.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

$2.01 €1.73

29.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

$2.46 €2.12

-15.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 844

$1.84 €1.59

-18.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 758

$2.00 €1.72

-33.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 F CFA 600

$1.93 €1.66

-45.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 460

$0.79 €0.68

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 F CFA 908

$6.61 €5.68

-75.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

$5.72 €4.92

168.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 667

$1.37 €1.17

-13.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

$2.97 €2.56

-25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 204

$2.37 €2.04

-84.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

$45.56 €39.19

76.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

$4.29 €3.69

-37.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

$0.82 €0.70

245.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

$18.30 €15.74

-1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 F CFA 963

$2.06 €1.78

-16.99%

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

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

$34.3K €29.5K

5.27%

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

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

$39.3K €33.8K

25.32%

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

$138 F CFA 78.0K

$148 €127

-6.42%

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

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

$20.52 €17.65

-51.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

$39.61 €34.08

27.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

$47.85 €41.16

17.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

$18.92 €16.28

13.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

$9.18 €7.90

-1.74%

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

$272 F CFA 153.4K

$614 €528

-55.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

$16.0K €13.8K

-55.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

$105 €90.0

-34.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

$42.06 €36.18

4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.2K

$94.0 €80.8

9.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 F CFA 74.1K

$120 €103

9.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 F CFA 515.2K

$1,628 €1,400

-43.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 208.2K

$1,255 €1,080

-70.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

$3,030 €2,607

-38.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 F CFA 528.9K

$2,020 €1,738

-53.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

$7,800 €6,709

-35.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

$4,273 €3,675

-65.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 F CFA 243.2K

$1,603 €1,379

-73.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

3.81

116.54%

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

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $914 in Dakar and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 272% 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: $53.0 in Dakar vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Dakar vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar and Lisbon differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,327 vs $2,210 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 272% less. 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: $914 in Dakar versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,327 per month in Dakar versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 77% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,327 in Dakar versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dakar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Dakar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dakar 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 Dakar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.