Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ba Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $490 in Ba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $806 in Ba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,122 in Ba.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 368% more expensive than in Ba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Ba is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$1.96 FJD 4.38

726.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$30.04 FJD 67.2

110.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.88 FJD 13.17

75.51%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.05 FJD 4.58

38.05%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.02 FJD 2.29

124.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.66 FJD 1.48

139.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.19 FJD 7.14

6.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$3.53 FJD 7.90

14.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.29 FJD 2.89

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.49 FJD 1.10

257.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.21 FJD 2.70

45.45%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.35 FJD 7.50

-5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$9.51 FJD 21.29

38.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$7.08 FJD 15.85

12.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$7.54 FJD 16.88

105.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.53 FJD 5.67

-6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.52 FJD 5.64

-32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.38 FJD 7.57

-40.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.29 FJD 7.37

-26.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.54 FJD 3.44

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.18 FJD 2.64

72.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.21 FJD 2.70

58.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.82 FJD 1.83

3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$9.86 FJD 22.07

-33.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.12 FJD 4.73

-37.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.41 FJD 7.63

-12.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.85 FJD 1.90

397.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$8.67 FJD 19.41

112.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.40 FJD 3.13

48.57%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$24.4K FJD 54.7K

41.95%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$25.2K FJD 56.3K

55.61%

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

$148 €130

$45.95 FJD 103

222.20%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$13.03 FJD 29.16

57.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$23.83 FJD 53.3

66.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$4.34 FJD 9.71

112.44%

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

$616 €539

$229 FJD 514

168.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$14.3K FJD 31.9K

15.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$26.30 FJD 58.9

290.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$27.42 FJD 61.4

52.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$70.0 FJD 157

35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$61.3 FJD 137

99.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$388 FJD 869

314.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-4.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 314% 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 $30.00 in Ba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $219 per month, with Ba 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 Ba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 368% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 314% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $229 in Ba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $490 in Ba versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $490 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ba hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Ba 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 Ba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 368% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.