Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,636 per month in Douala vs $2,227 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Douala vs $3,305 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,606 per month in Douala vs $4,384 in Lisbon, rent included.

Douala is about 27% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Douala and Lisbon sit above the global median – Douala by 22%, Lisbon by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.02 FCFA 5,062

$16.17 €13.84

-44.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 FCFA 70.4K

$64.6 €55.3

94.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 FCFA 2,890

$10.38 €8.88

-50.39%

Cappuccino

$1.89 FCFA 1,062

$2.77 €2.37

-31.77%

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

$1.68 FCFA 941

$2.25 €1.92

-25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 FCFA 467

$1.57 €1.35

-47.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 FCFA 660

$3.49 €2.99

-66.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 FCFA 1,492

$4.00 €3.43

-33.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 FCFA 1,627

$1.08 €0.93

168.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 250

$1.74 €1.49

-74.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,258

$1.74 €1.49

28.74%

Eggs

$1.91 FCFA 1,069

$3.18 €2.72

-39.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 FCFA 12.8K

$13.43 €11.50

69.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,329

$7.99 €6.84

-3.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 FCFA 3,690

$16.09 €13.77

-59.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 FCFA 2,773

$2.28 €1.95

116.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,177

$1.72 €1.48

22.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 FCFA 1,171

$1.94 €1.66

7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 FCFA 762

$2.54 €2.18

-46.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 FCFA 1,897

$1.83 €1.57

84.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,256

$2.04 €1.75

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 FCFA 408

$1.98 €1.69

-63.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 FCFA 375

$0.85 €0.73

-21.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 FCFA 2,011

$6.85 €5.87

-47.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 FCFA 4,669

$5.78 €4.94

43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 FCFA 758

$1.37 €1.18

-1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 FCFA 1,092

$2.90 €2.48

-32.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 FCFA 362

$2.28 €1.95

-71.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.48 FCFA 9,807

$46.84 €40.10

-62.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 306

$4.08 €3.49

-86.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 FCFA 426

$0.82 €0.70

-7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 FCFA 4,592

$18.27 €15.64

-55.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FCFA 768

$2.01 €1.72

-31.84%

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

$31.0K FCFA 17.4M

$35.3K €30.2K

-11.96%

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

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

$38.5K €32.9K

-58.36%

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

$170 FCFA 95.2K

$145 €124

16.70%

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

$25.96 FCFA 14.6K

$20.96 €17.94

23.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$182 FCFA 101.9K

$40.05 €34.29

353.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.43 FCFA 13.1K

$48.79 €41.76

-51.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.47 FCFA 1,948

$18.69 €16.00

-81.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 FCFA 4,822

$9.06 €7.76

-5.08%

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

$530 FCFA 297.3K

$607 €519

-12.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

$16.3K €14.0K

-78.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 FCFA 45.5K

$105 €89.6

-22.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.3 FCFA 39.4K

$40.95 €35.06

71.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 FCFA 79.4K

$93.6 €80.1

51.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 FCFA 86.0K

$119 €101

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 FCFA 513.0K

$1,604 €1,373

-42.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 FCFA 328.3K

$1,236 €1,058

-52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 FCFA 1.1M

$3,046 €2,607

-37.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 FCFA 633.3K

$2,057 €1,761

-45.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,108 FCFA 1.2M

$7,709 €6,599

-72.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 FCFA 563.8K

$4,266 €3,652

-76.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 FCFA 91.6K

$1,584 €1,356

-89.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.21

3.81

404.20%

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

Last update for Douala: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $915 in Douala versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 870% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $126 in Douala versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $271 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Douala vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,454 per month in Douala and $3,341 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $126 in Douala and $65.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Douala, where all-in costs run around $1,636, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Douala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Douala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.