Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Johannesburg is about 38% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Johannesburg and Lisbon sit above the global median – Johannesburg by 4%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$17.30 €14.87

-27.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$63.3 €54.4

-27.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$11.39 €9.79

-34.06%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$3.19 €2.74

-21.94%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$2.45 €2.10

-48.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$1.76 €1.52

-46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$3.59 €3.09

-42.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$3.39 €2.92

-18.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$1.24 €1.06

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$1.98 €1.71

-34.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.52 €1.31

20.39%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$4.04 €3.47

-33.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$13.54 €11.64

-31.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$8.39 €7.21

-28.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$18.25 €15.69

-49.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$2.29 €1.97

-1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$1.74 €1.50

12.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$1.86 €1.60

-2.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$2.63 €2.26

-19.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$1.92 €1.65

-6.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$2.09 €1.80

-10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$1.44 €1.24

4.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$0.84 €0.72

59.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$6.78 €5.83

-49.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$5.71 €4.91

5.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$1.38 €1.18

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$2.22 €1.91

10.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$2.40 €2.06

-11.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

$46.78 €40.22

100.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$4.17 €3.59

-78.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$1.14 €0.98

-17.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$17.68 €15.20

-14.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$2.32 €2.00

-33.62%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$35.3K €30.4K

2.91%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$41.4K €35.6K

-20.71%

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

$222 R 3,552

$170 €146

30.39%

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

$38.73 R 619

$19.34 €16.62

100.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$33.64 €28.92

17.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$48.10 €41.35

-20.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

$19.90 €17.11

-12.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$9.92 €8.53

-19.46%

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

$248 R 3,964

$717 €617

-65.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$17.5K €15.0K

-67.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$105 €90.1

-42.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$46.95 €40.36

2.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$103 €88.9

5.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$124 €107

-11.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$1,677 €1,441

-67.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$1,271 €1,093

-65.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$2,985 €2,566

-62.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$1,992 €1,713

-52.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

$7,826 €6,728

-86.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

$4,658 €4,004

-83.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

$1,583 €1,361

12.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

3.79

187.86%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg versus $1,677 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 13% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $283 – making Johannesburg 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

Johannesburg vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 61% more than Johannesburg, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,152 per month in Johannesburg and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Johannesburg and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,435 in Johannesburg and $2,316 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,435, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,435 versus $2,316 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Johannesburg. 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.