Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lagos and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lagos: $951 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lagos
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$951
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lagos and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lagos and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $951 per month in Lagos vs $2,223 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Lagos $951
  • Lisbon $2,223

A couple spends around $1,859 per month in Lagos vs $3,271 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Lagos $1,859
  • Lisbon $3,271

A family of three spends $2,768 per month in Lagos vs $4,319 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Lagos $2,768
  • Lisbon $4,319

Lagos is about 57% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lagos sits 30% below the global median, while Lisbon is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.82 ₦5,082
$16.50 €14.67
-76.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.8 ₦67.5K
$61.3 €54.5
-17.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.38 ₦9,815
$11.27 €10.03
-34.52%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ₦3,768
$3.06 €2.72
-7.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₦577
$2.26 €2.01
-80.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 ₦291
$1.73 €1.54
-87.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.01 ₦1,348
$3.39 €3.02
-70.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 ₦2,692
$3.40 €3.02
-40.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.10 ₦4,120
$1.12 €1.00
176.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 ₦1,989
$1.86 €1.65
-19.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 ₦1,669
$1.53 €1.36
-18.30%
Eggs
$2.27 ₦3,013
$3.96 €3.53
-42.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.44 ₦4,578
$12.76 €11.35
-73.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.79 ₦5,040
$7.90 €7.02
-52.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.58 ₦6,093
$16.97 €15.09
-73.01%
Apples (1kg)
$1.70 ₦2,255
$2.27 €2.02
-25.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 ₦1,716
$1.75 €1.55
-26.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.11 ₦1,475
$1.85 €1.64
-40.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.29 ₦1,718
$2.57 €2.28
-49.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.37 ₦1,823
$1.86 €1.65
-26.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ₦1,803
$2.02 €1.80
-32.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 ₦1,128
$1.44 €1.28
-40.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 ₦528
$0.82 €0.73
-51.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.60 ₦793
$6.56 €5.83
-90.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.52 ₦3,346
$5.62 €5.00
-55.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₦721
$1.28 €1.14
-57.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ₦612
$2.07 €1.84
-77.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₦532
$2.35 €2.09
-82.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 ₦26.2K
$44.18 €39.30
-55.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.65 ₦864
$3.99 €3.55
-83.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.95 ₦1,270
$1.09 €0.97
-12.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.25 ₦2,987
$16.64 €14.81
-86.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 ₦1,098
$2.28 €2.03
-63.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.1K ₦14.8M
$33.7K €30.0K
-67.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$13.6K ₦18.1M
$39.3K €35.0K
-65.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$113 ₦150.7K
$167 €149
-32.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.08 ₦20.1K
$18.80 €16.72
-19.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 ₦44.0K
$33.09 €29.43
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.10 ₦37.4K
$46.01 €40.93
-38.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.79 ₦9,027
$19.19 €17.07
-64.62%
Cinema Ticket
$6.19 ₦8,237
$9.84 €8.75
-37.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$659 ₦877.1K
$677 €602
-2.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.5K ₦26.0M
$16.9K €15.1K
15.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.85 ₦19.8K
$101 €90.1
-85.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.95 ₦23.9K
$45.76 €40.70
-60.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$36.30 ₦48.3K
$100.0 €88.9
-63.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$48.95 ₦65.1K
$123 €109
-60.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$704 ₦936.6K
$1,614 €1,436
-56.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$417 ₦554.1K
$1,197 €1,065
-65.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 ₦3.8M
$2,862 €2,545
-1.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 ₦2.0M
$1,990 €1,770
-23.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,283 ₦4.4M
$7,577 €6,740
-56.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,597 ₦2.1M
$4,307 €3,831
-62.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lagos
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$117 ₦155.2K
$1,588 €1,412
-92.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.39
3.85
377.66%

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

Last update for Lagos: October 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lagos
$417
Lisbon
$1.2K 187% $780
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lagos
$161
Lisbon
$219 35.8% $58
Groceries & Markets
Lagos
$154
Lisbon
$269 75.2% $116
Eating Out
Lagos
$98
Lisbon
$242 146% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Lagos
$53
Lisbon
$166 213% $113
Sport & Entertainment
Lagos
$40
Lisbon
$66 62.2% $25
Getting Around
Lagos
$27
Lisbon
$63 136% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $704 in Lagos versus $1,614 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 1261% 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 $51.0 in Lagos versus $61.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $154 vs $269 – making Lagos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Lagos
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
14:57 2:57 PM
14:57 2:57 PM
Same time as Lagos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,404,112
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,496 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lagos Lisbon 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lagos
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Lagos vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lagos or Lisbon?
Lisbon costs about 134% more than Lagos, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lagos and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Lagos and $3,335 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lagos or Lisbon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lagos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Lagos and in Lisbon?
Kindergarten costs $659 per month in Lagos and $677 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Lagos or in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 75% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lagos or in Lisbon?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lagos, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Lisbon at $2,223. In Lagos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lagos or Lisbon?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lagos costs $951 versus $2,223 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Lagos compared to Lisbon?
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.
Should I move to Lagos or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Lagos. 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.

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