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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,504 per month in Kinshasa vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,504 per month in Kinshasa vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,504 per month in Kinshasa vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Kinshasa is about 32% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kinshasa and Lisbon sit above the global median – Kinshasa by 12%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 CDF 34.2K

$15.91 €13.69

-5.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.0 CDF 197.6K

$64.8 €55.7

34.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 CDF 29.1K

$10.51 €9.04

21.88%

Cappuccino

$6.04 CDF 13.7K

$2.87 €2.47

110.45%

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

$1.87 CDF 4,234

$2.24 €1.93

-16.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CDF 3,423

$1.50 €1.29

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 CDF 4,586

$3.49 €3.00

-42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CDF 8,885

$3.88 €3.34

0.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 CDF 6,013

$1.14 €0.98

132.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 CDF 3,262

$1.75 €1.51

-17.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 CDF 5,462

$1.76 €1.51

36.93%

Eggs

$3.58 CDF 8,138

$3.22 €2.77

11.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 CDF 14.3K

$13.49 €11.61

-53.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 CDF 19.9K

$7.91 €6.81

10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 CDF 24.2K

$15.87 €13.65

-32.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 CDF 6,256

$2.31 €1.99

19.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 CDF 5,205

$1.70 €1.46

34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CDF 8,288

$2.01 €1.73

81.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 CDF 6,437

$2.46 €2.12

15.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 CDF 6,387

$1.84 €1.59

52.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 CDF 7,311

$2.00 €1.72

61.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CDF 3,071

$1.93 €1.66

-30.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 CDF 1,815

$0.79 €0.68

1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 CDF 10.3K

$6.61 €5.68

-31.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.92 CDF 36.1K

$5.72 €4.92

178.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CDF 3,893

$1.37 €1.17

24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 CDF 9,897

$2.97 €2.56

46.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 CDF 1,081

$2.37 €2.04

-79.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.41 CDF 48.6K

$45.56 €39.19

-53.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 CDF 12.1K

$4.29 €3.69

24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CDF 2,856

$0.82 €0.70

53.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

$18.30 €15.74

-72.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CDF 3,180

$2.06 €1.78

-32.04%

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

$45.0K CDF 102.2M

$34.3K €29.5K

31.40%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$87.9 CDF 199.6K

$148 €127

-40.53%

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

$27.41 CDF 62.2K

$20.52 €17.65

33.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.0 CDF 206.6K

$39.61 €34.08

129.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.3 CDF 166.3K

$47.85 €41.16

53.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.85 CDF 49.6K

$18.92 €16.28

15.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 CDF 34.5K

$9.18 €7.90

65.69%

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

$733 CDF 1.7M

$614 €528

19.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,788 CDF 10.9M

$16.0K €13.8K

-70.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.66 CDF 103.7K

$105 €90.0

-56.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.11 CDF 88.8K

$42.06 €36.18

-7.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 CDF 257.8K

$94.0 €80.8

20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CDF 231.3K

$120 €103

-14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 CDF 3.7M

$1,628 €1,400

0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 CDF 1.1M

$1,255 €1,080

-62.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,111 CDF 7.1M

$3,030 €2,607

2.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 CDF 2.4M

$2,020 €1,738

-46.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,920 CDF 11.2M

$7,800 €6,709

-36.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 CDF 2.8M

$4,273 €3,675

-71.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$353 CDF 801.6K

$1,603 €1,379

-77.98%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,634 in Kinshasa versus $1,628 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 354% 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 $87.0 in Kinshasa versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $269 – 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: $1,504 in Kinshasa, $2,210 in Lisbon – roughly 47% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,256 per month in Kinshasa and $3,315 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 $87.0 in Kinshasa and $65.0 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 $1,504 in Kinshasa and $2,210 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 $1,504 in Kinshasa and $2,210 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 $1,504 in Kinshasa to $2,210 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.