Cost of Living Comparison Between Djibouti and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Djibouti and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,029 in Djibouti versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,289 in Djibouti versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,549 in Djibouti versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Djibouti costs roughly 11% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Djibouti 52% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.94 DJF 1,768
$16.19 €14.17
-38.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.1 DJF 14.4K
$63.3 €55.4
28.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.72 DJF 2,262
$10.32 €9.03
23.26%
Cappuccino
$3.59 DJF 639
$2.83 €2.48
26.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 DJF 330
$2.29 €2.00
-18.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 DJF 331
$1.58 €1.38
17.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.80 DJF 1,031
$3.40 €2.98
70.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.30 DJF 1,477
$4.03 €3.52
105.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.49 DJF 443
$1.09 €0.95
128.44%
White Bread (500g)
$9.28 DJF 1,650
$1.75 €1.53
430.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.75 DJF 667
$1.76 €1.54
113.07%
Eggs
$6.75 DJF 1,200
$3.17 €2.77
112.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.45 DJF 1,681
$13.19 €11.54
-28.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.52 DJF 3,294
$7.97 €6.97
132.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.15 DJF 2,161
$15.53 €13.59
-21.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.82 DJF 680
$2.37 €2.07
61.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 DJF 214
$1.71 €1.49
-29.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 DJF 497
$2.01 €1.76
38.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.58 DJF 282
$2.43 €2.13
-34.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.19 DJF 212
$1.76 €1.54
-32.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.34 DJF 239
$2.03 €1.78
-33.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$5.58 DJF 993
$1.92 €1.68
190.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 DJF 103
$0.85 €0.74
-31.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.75 DJF 489
$6.58 €5.76
-58.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.35 DJF 3,798
$5.58 €4.88
282.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.39 DJF 425
$1.33 €1.17
79.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 DJF 633
$2.97 €2.60
19.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 DJF 47.86
$2.28 €1.99
-88.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.35 DJF 3,797
$45.79 €40.06
-53.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.85 DJF 506
$4.23 €3.70
-32.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$5.63 DJF 1,001
$0.81 €0.71
595.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.45 DJF 5,060
$18.44 €16.13
54.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 DJF 309
$2.08 €1.82
-16.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K DJF 6.1M
$34.7K €30.3K
-1.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K DJF 5.9M
$39.2K €34.3K
-14.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$530 DJF 94.3K
$148 €130
258.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.27 DJF 5,562
$20.46 €17.90
52.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.7 DJF 10.6K
$39.56 €34.61
50.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$86.9 DJF 15.5K
$47.99 €41.99
81.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.66 DJF 4,209
$18.60 €16.27
27.20%
Cinema Ticket
$8.24 DJF 1,466
$9.22 €8.07
-10.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$331 DJF 58.9K
$616 €539
-46.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,861 DJF 1.6M
$16.4K €14.4K
-46.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.62 DJF 7,403
$103 €89.9
-59.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.38 DJF 3,448
$41.74 €36.52
-53.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 DJF 22.1K
$94.8 €82.9
30.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.9 DJF 9,947
$122 €107
-54.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,439 DJF 256.0K
$1,633 €1,428
-11.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 DJF 84.3K
$1,232 €1,078
-61.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$989 DJF 175.9K
$3,098 €2,711
-68.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,512 DJF 269.0K
$2,031 €1,777
-25.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.8K DJF 2.3M
$7,831 €6,851
62.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,197 DJF 1.1M
$4,389 €3,840
41.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,881 DJF 512.4K
$1,607 €1,406
79.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.6
3.81
151.97%

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

Last update for Djibouti: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,439 in Djibouti and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Djibouti pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Djibouti vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $460 vs $267 per month, with Lisbon 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
Djibouti vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Djibouti or Lisbon?
Djibouti wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Djibouti the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Djibouti or in Lisbon?
Average pay runs 79% higher in Djibouti, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Djibouti compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,439 in Djibouti versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Djibouti compared to Lisbon?
A monthly transit pass in Djibouti runs roughly 114% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Djibouti and in Lisbon?
Childcare runs $331 in Djibouti versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Djibouti or in Lisbon?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Djibouti is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Djibouti or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Djibouti delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,029 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Djibouti hard to pass up.
How safe is Djibouti compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Djibouti 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Djibouti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Djibouti vs other spots: cost of living compared

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