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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,650 per month in Douala vs $2,280 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,687 per month in Douala vs $3,294 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Douala vs $4,307 in Lisbon, rent included.

Douala is about 28% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Douala and Lisbon sit above the global median – Douala by 24%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 FCFA 5,077

$15.75 €13.64

-43.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 FCFA 71.4K

$63.5 €55.0

98.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 FCFA 3,012

$10.45 €9.05

-49.19%

Cappuccino

$1.81 FCFA 1,028

$2.91 €2.52

-37.80%

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

$1.72 FCFA 978

$2.29 €1.98

-24.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 FCFA 474

$1.50 €1.30

-44.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 FCFA 663

$3.56 €3.09

-67.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 FCFA 1,491

$3.96 €3.43

-33.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 FCFA 1,615

$1.08 €0.94

162.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 255

$1.76 €1.53

-74.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 FCFA 1,330

$1.70 €1.47

37.65%

Eggs

$2.01 FCFA 1,139

$3.25 €2.81

-38.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.23 FCFA 13.2K

$13.25 €11.47

75.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,383

$7.70 €6.67

0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 FCFA 3,757

$15.77 €13.66

-58.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 FCFA 2,775

$2.28 €1.97

114.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,197

$1.66 €1.43

27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 FCFA 1,177

$2.02 €1.75

2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 FCFA 801

$2.47 €2.14

-42.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 FCFA 1,873

$1.79 €1.55

84.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 FCFA 1,291

$2.07 €1.79

9.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 FCFA 440

$1.97 €1.71

-60.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 353

$0.83 €0.72

-25.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 FCFA 1,953

$6.55 €5.68

-47.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 FCFA 4,941

$5.57 €4.82

56.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 808

$1.33 €1.15

6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 FCFA 1,074

$3.01 €2.60

-37.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 FCFA 363

$2.27 €1.97

-71.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.56 FCFA 9,967

$46.35 €40.14

-62.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 310

$4.23 €3.66

-87.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 FCFA 465

$0.85 €0.73

-3.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 FCFA 4,832

$18.83 €16.31

-54.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 FCFA 803

$2.02 €1.75

-30.20%

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

$30.9K FCFA 17.6M

$35.0K €30.3K

-11.49%

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

$15.7K FCFA 8.9M

$39.6K €34.3K

-60.45%

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

$168 FCFA 95.2K

$148 €128

13.30%

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

$26.17 FCFA 14.9K

$20.52 €17.77

27.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$183 FCFA 104.0K

$39.52 €34.23

363.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.46 FCFA 13.3K

$48.17 €41.72

-51.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.46 FCFA 1,966

$18.39 €15.92

-81.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.65 FCFA 4,911

$9.10 €7.88

-4.95%

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

$541 FCFA 307.2K

$615 €532

-11.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,435 FCFA 2.0M

$16.3K €14.1K

-78.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 FCFA 46.5K

$102 €88.0

-19.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.6 FCFA 39.5K

$42.09 €36.45

65.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 FCFA 82.1K

$92.3 €79.9

56.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 FCFA 87.5K

$122 €106

26.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 FCFA 511.2K

$1,612 €1,396

-44.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 FCFA 337.2K

$1,254 €1,086

-52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 FCFA 1.1M

$3,069 €2,658

-37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 FCFA 632.5K

$2,037 €1,764

-45.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,048 FCFA 1.2M

$7,751 €6,712

-73.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$978 FCFA 555.4K

$4,286 €3,712

-77.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 FCFA 119.9K

$1,602 €1,387

-86.82%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $900 in Douala versus $1,612 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 658% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $267 – 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 38%, 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 $2,476 per month in Douala and $3,420 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 7% 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 $63.0 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 $1,650, than in Lisbon at $2,280. 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.