Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinshasa and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinshasa and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,511 per month in Kinshasa vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Kinshasa vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,559 per month in Kinshasa vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Kinshasa is about 34% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kinshasa and Lisbon sit above the global median – Kinshasa by 13%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.81 CDF 33.3K

$16.19 €14.17

-8.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.2 CDF 193.9K

$63.3 €55.4

36.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.18 CDF 29.6K

$10.32 €9.03

27.71%

Cappuccino

$5.92 CDF 13.3K

$2.83 €2.48

109.19%

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

$1.87 CDF 4,217

$2.29 €2.00

-18.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CDF 3,375

$1.58 €1.38

-5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 CDF 4,429

$3.40 €2.98

-42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CDF 9,223

$4.03 €3.52

1.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 CDF 6,206

$1.09 €0.95

153.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 CDF 3,329

$1.75 €1.53

-15.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 CDF 5,464

$1.76 €1.54

38.07%

Eggs

$3.73 CDF 8,383

$3.17 €2.77

17.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 CDF 14.3K

$13.19 €11.54

-51.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 CDF 19.8K

$7.97 €6.97

10.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 CDF 24.1K

$15.53 €13.59

-30.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 CDF 6,002

$2.37 €2.07

12.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CDF 5,048

$1.71 €1.49

30.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CDF 8,042

$2.01 €1.76

77.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 CDF 6,609

$2.43 €2.13

20.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 CDF 6,301

$1.76 €1.54

59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 CDF 7,240

$2.03 €1.78

58.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 CDF 3,162

$1.92 €1.68

-26.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 CDF 1,954

$0.85 €0.74

2.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 CDF 10.4K

$6.58 €5.76

-30.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 CDF 35.6K

$5.58 €4.88

183.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CDF 3,821

$1.33 €1.17

27.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 CDF 9,280

$2.97 €2.60

38.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 CDF 1,094

$2.28 €1.99

-78.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.05 CDF 49.6K

$45.79 €40.06

-51.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 CDF 12.5K

$4.23 €3.70

31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CDF 2,906

$0.81 €0.71

59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 CDF 11.1K

$18.44 €16.13

-73.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CDF 3,057

$2.08 €1.82

-34.62%

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

$45.0K CDF 101.3M

$34.7K €30.3K

29.85%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$85.2 CDF 191.8K

$148 €130

-42.44%

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

$27.60 CDF 62.1K

$20.46 €17.90

34.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.1 CDF 205.0K

$39.56 €34.61

130.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.1 CDF 162.1K

$47.99 €41.99

50.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 CDF 47.8K

$18.60 €16.27

14.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 CDF 34.0K

$9.22 €8.07

63.67%

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

$714 CDF 1.6M

$616 €539

15.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,745 CDF 10.7M

$16.4K €14.4K

-71.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.73 CDF 102.9K

$103 €89.9

-55.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 CDF 88.1K

$41.74 €36.52

-6.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CDF 255.1K

$94.8 €82.9

19.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CDF 227.2K

$122 €107

-17.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 CDF 3.7M

$1,633 €1,428

0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 CDF 1.1M

$1,232 €1,078

-61.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,022 CDF 6.8M

$3,098 €2,711

-2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CDF 2.4M

$2,031 €1,777

-48.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,070 CDF 11.4M

$7,831 €6,851

-35.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,250 CDF 2.8M

$4,389 €3,840

-71.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$356 CDF 801.6K

$1,607 €1,406

-77.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

346.19%

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

Last update for Kinshasa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,641 in Kinshasa versus $1,633 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 351% 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 $86.0 in Kinshasa versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 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

Kinshasa vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,511 in Kinshasa, $2,291 in Lisbon – roughly 52% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,266 per month in Kinshasa and $3,437 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kinshasa, 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 $86.0 in Kinshasa 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 $1,511 in Kinshasa and $2,291 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,511 in Kinshasa and $2,291 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,511 in Kinshasa to $2,291 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kinshasa. 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.