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: $1,318 in Dakar versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,218 in Dakar versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,117 in Dakar versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Dakar costs roughly 42% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dakar is 1% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 F CFA 3,114

$16.19 €14.17

-66.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 F CFA 29.9K

$63.3 €55.4

-17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 F CFA 5,849

$10.32 €9.03

-1.16%

Cappuccino

$4.37 F CFA 2,509

$2.83 €2.48

54.42%

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

$0.89 F CFA 511

$2.29 €2.00

-61.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 F CFA 620

$1.58 €1.38

-31.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 F CFA 1,551

$3.40 €2.98

-20.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 F CFA 2,584

$4.03 €3.52

11.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 F CFA 1,474

$1.09 €0.95

135.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 F CFA 385

$1.75 €1.53

-61.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 F CFA 927

$1.76 €1.54

-7.95%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,582

$3.17 €2.77

-12.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 F CFA 7,271

$13.19 €11.54

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 F CFA 5,416

$7.97 €6.97

18.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 F CFA 6,088

$15.53 €13.59

-31.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 F CFA 1,603

$2.37 €2.07

18.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 F CFA 1,137

$1.71 €1.49

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 F CFA 1,481

$2.01 €1.76

28.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,227

$2.43 €2.13

-11.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 F CFA 882

$1.76 €1.54

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 771

$2.03 €1.78

-33.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 F CFA 614

$1.92 €1.68

-44.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 468

$0.85 €0.74

-3.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 F CFA 892

$6.58 €5.76

-76.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.02 F CFA 9,762

$5.58 €4.88

205.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 F CFA 648

$1.33 €1.17

-15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 F CFA 1,282

$2.97 €2.60

-24.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 208

$2.28 €1.99

-84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

$45.79 €40.06

72.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 F CFA 1,478

$4.23 €3.70

-39.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 F CFA 1,607

$0.81 €0.71

245.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

$18.44 €16.13

-4.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 F CFA 1,021

$2.08 €1.82

-14.42%

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

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

$34.7K €30.3K

6.39%

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

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

$39.2K €34.3K

27.86%

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

$140 F CFA 80.1K

$148 €130

-5.68%

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

$9.57 F CFA 5,488

$20.46 €17.90

-53.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

$39.56 €34.61

23.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 F CFA 31.8K

$47.99 €41.99

15.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 F CFA 12.3K

$18.60 €16.27

15.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 F CFA 5,019

$9.22 €8.07

-5.10%

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

$268 F CFA 153.5K

$616 €539

-56.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

$16.4K €14.4K

-55.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

$103 €89.9

-33.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

$41.74 €36.52

4.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 F CFA 60.1K

$94.8 €82.9

10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 F CFA 73.7K

$122 €107

5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 F CFA 533.8K

$1,633 €1,428

-42.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 211.5K

$1,232 €1,078

-70.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

$3,098 €2,711

-38.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 F CFA 534.8K

$2,031 €1,777

-54.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

$7,831 €6,851

-35.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 F CFA 828.4K

$4,389 €3,840

-67.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 F CFA 241.0K

$1,607 €1,406

-73.85%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $931 in Dakar and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 282% 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: $52.0 in Dakar vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $279 vs $267, 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 74% in total monthly costs ($1,318 vs $2,291 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 282% 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: $931 in Dakar versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,318 per month in Dakar versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 72% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,318 in Dakar versus $2,291 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 74% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.