Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Addis Ababa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Addis Ababa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,429 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,079 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,730 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 60% more expensive than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Addis Ababa 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.15

$4.44 ETB 704

264.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.3

$35.55 ETB 5,634

78.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.02

$6.67 ETB 1,058

54.72%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

$1.30 ETB 206

117.69%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.63 ETB 100

263.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.43 ETB 68.4

267.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.97

$0.97 ETB 154

250.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.93 ETB 465

37.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.46 ETB 231

-25.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.33 ETB 211

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.15 ETB 341

-18.14%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.40 ETB 380

32.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.53

$7.12 ETB 1,128

85.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.96

$13.71 ETB 2,173

-41.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.57

$13.07 ETB 2,071

18.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$6.66 ETB 1,055

-64.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.04 ETB 165

64.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

$2.19 ETB 348

-8.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$0.98 ETB 155

147.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.63 ETB 99.9

179.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.91 ETB 303

6.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.66 ETB 105

190.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.68 ETB 108

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.75

$3.97 ETB 629

65.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.87

$5.68 ETB 901

-1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.04 ETB 164

27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.83 ETB 290

62.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.44 ETB 69.8

418.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

$12.19 ETB 1,932

275.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$1.43 ETB 226

195.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.29 ETB 46.37

179.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

$2.04 ETB 323

803.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.25 ETB 198

66.40%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$55.6K ETB 8.8M

-37.64%

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

$39.2K €34.2K

$54.3K ETB 8.6M

-27.90%

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

$148 €129

$163 ETB 25.8K

-8.94%

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

$20.46 €17.88

$12.23 ETB 1,938

67.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.56

$129 ETB 20.5K

-69.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

$69.4 ETB 11.0K

-30.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

$36.29 ETB 5,752

-48.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.06

$5.82 ETB 923

58.42%

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

$616 €538

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

665.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$40.0K ETB 6.3M

-58.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$47.75 ETB 7,568

115.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

$74.4 ETB 11.8K

-43.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

$91.4 ETB 14.5K

3.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$116 ETB 18.4K

5.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,426

$732 ETB 116.0K

122.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,077

$511 ETB 81.1K

140.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,707

$1,816 ETB 287.9K

70.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,775

$885 ETB 140.3K

129.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

$1,969 ETB 312.1K

297.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

$992 ETB 157.2K

342.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

$200 ETB 31.7K

702.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-77.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $732 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 702% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $36.00 in Addis Ababa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $265 per month, with Addis Ababa cheaper across the board.

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

Lisbon vs Addis Ababa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Addis Ababa differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,429 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 702% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $732 in Addis Ababa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $1,429 in Addis Ababa – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 276% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,429 in Addis Ababa versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Addis Ababa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Addis Ababa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Addis Ababa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Addis Ababa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.