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: $2,016 in Djibouti versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,268 in Djibouti versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,520 in Djibouti versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Djibouti costs roughly 9% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Djibouti 50% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.81 DJF 1,744
$15.91 €13.69
-38.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.3 DJF 14.6K
$64.8 €55.7
27.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.80 DJF 2,275
$10.51 €9.04
21.79%
Cappuccino
$3.59 DJF 638
$2.87 €2.47
25.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 DJF 340
$2.24 €1.93
-14.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 DJF 341
$1.50 €1.29
28.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.47 DJF 973
$3.49 €3.00
56.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.54 DJF 1,519
$3.88 €3.34
120.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.49 DJF 443
$1.14 €0.98
118.42%
White Bread (500g)
$9.21 DJF 1,637
$1.75 €1.51
426.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.83 DJF 681
$1.76 €1.51
117.61%
Eggs
$7.04 DJF 1,252
$3.22 €2.77
118.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.60 DJF 1,706
$13.49 €11.61
-28.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.08 DJF 3,214
$7.91 €6.81
128.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.26 DJF 2,179
$15.87 €13.65
-22.75%
Apples (1kg)
$3.71 DJF 660
$2.31 €1.99
60.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 DJF 212
$1.70 €1.46
-30.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 DJF 514
$2.01 €1.73
43.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 DJF 291
$2.46 €2.12
-33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 DJF 213
$1.84 €1.59
-34.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 DJF 242
$2.00 €1.72
-32.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$5.67 DJF 1,009
$1.93 €1.66
193.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 DJF 97.4
$0.79 €0.68
-30.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.69 DJF 478
$6.61 €5.68
-59.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.69 DJF 3,678
$5.72 €4.92
261.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.37 DJF 421
$1.37 €1.17
72.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 DJF 645
$2.97 €2.56
22.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 DJF 51.8
$2.37 €2.04
-87.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.90 DJF 3,715
$45.56 €39.19
-54.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.78 DJF 495
$4.29 €3.69
-35.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$5.45 DJF 968
$0.82 €0.70
564.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.01 DJF 4,978
$18.30 €15.74
53.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 DJF 301
$2.06 €1.78
-17.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K DJF 6.0M
$34.3K €29.5K
-1.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1K DJF 5.9M
$39.3K €33.8K
-15.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$513 DJF 91.1K
$148 €127
246.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.11 DJF 5,709
$20.52 €17.65
56.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.1 DJF 10.3K
$39.61 €34.08
46.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$85.9 DJF 15.3K
$47.85 €41.16
79.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.60 DJF 4,196
$18.92 €16.28
24.74%
Cinema Ticket
$8.52 DJF 1,514
$9.18 €7.90
-7.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$339 DJF 60.2K
$614 €528
-44.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,920 DJF 1.6M
$16.0K €13.8K
-44.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.83 DJF 7,614
$105 €90.0
-59.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.47 DJF 3,462
$42.06 €36.18
-53.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 DJF 21.8K
$94.0 €80.8
30.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.5 DJF 9,872
$120 €103
-53.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,440 DJF 256.1K
$1,628 €1,400
-11.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$475 DJF 84.4K
$1,255 €1,080
-62.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$976 DJF 173.5K
$3,030 €2,607
-67.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,500 DJF 266.6K
$2,020 €1,738
-25.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.4K DJF 2.2M
$7,800 €6,709
59.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,092 DJF 1.1M
$4,273 €3,675
42.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Djibouti
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,814 DJF 500.2K
$1,603 €1,379
75.49%
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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,440 in Djibouti and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Djibouti pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Djibouti vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $269 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 10% 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 Lisbon?
Djibouti pays 75% more on average, 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 vs Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,440 in Djibouti versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Djibouti vs Lisbon?
A monthly transit pass in Djibouti runs roughly 118% 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 Lisbon?
Childcare runs $339 in Djibouti versus $614 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 Lisbon?
At $2,016 in Djibouti versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Djibouti but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Djibouti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Djibouti or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Djibouti delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,016 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 10% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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