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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,083 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,783 in Addis Ababa.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Addis Ababa 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$4.55 ETB 718

249.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$35.04 ETB 5,522

84.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.41 ETB 1,010

63.96%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.24 ETB 196

131.45%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.69 ETB 109

224.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.43 ETB 67.7

248.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$0.99 ETB 156

252.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.97 ETB 468

30.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.44 ETB 228

-20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.33 ETB 210

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.17 ETB 343

-18.89%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.43 ETB 383

32.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.29 ETB 1,148

85.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$13.73 ETB 2,164

-42.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$13.09 ETB 2,063

21.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$6.68 ETB 1,053

-65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.98 ETB 154

73.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.19 ETB 345

-8.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.99 ETB 157

148.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.68 ETB 107

170.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.81 ETB 286

10.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.68 ETB 108

183.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.64 ETB 101

23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$4.02 ETB 633

64.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.77 ETB 909

-0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.99 ETB 156

38.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.89 ETB 298

57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.43 ETB 67.9

451.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$12.21 ETB 1,925

273.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.48 ETB 234

189.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.27 ETB 42.16

203.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.05 ETB 323

792.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.24 ETB 195

66.13%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

-38.16%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

-27.25%

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

$148 €127

$157 ETB 24.8K

-5.91%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$12.11 ETB 1,908

69.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$129 ETB 20.3K

-69.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

-31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$36.71 ETB 5,786

-48.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.86 ETB 923

56.66%

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

$614 €528

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

656.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

-60.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$46.81 ETB 7,377

123.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

-43.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$115 ETB 18.2K

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$758 ETB 119.5K

114.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$495 ETB 78.0K

153.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

66.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$890 ETB 140.2K

127.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

293.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

323.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$206 ETB 32.5K

676.87%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $758 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 677% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Addis Ababa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 ($2,210 vs $1,383 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 677% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $758 in Addis Ababa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,383 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 273% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,383 in Addis Ababa versus $2,210 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.