Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bahir Dar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $374 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,210

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$374

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Bahir Dar

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

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $374 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Lisbon $2,210
Bahir Dar $374

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $568 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Lisbon $3,275
Bahir Dar $568

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $763 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Lisbon $4,341
Bahir Dar $763

Lisbon costs about 491% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Bahir Dar is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.65 €14.92

$3.43 ETB 553

385.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 €55.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €10.18

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.66

$1.02 ETB 164

191.18%

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

$2.29 €2.05

$0.41 ETB 66.7

458.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.56

$0.48 ETB 78.0

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €3.05

$0.72 ETB 116

372.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.97

$1.96 ETB 315

68.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.04

$0.98 ETB 157

18.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.71

$1.02 ETB 164

87.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 €1.36

$1.01 ETB 163

49.50%

Eggs

$4.02 €3.60

$1.77 ETB 285

127.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 €11.59

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 €6.97

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 €15.92

$10.06 ETB 1,620

76.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.06

$3.04 ETB 489

-24.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.55

$0.97 ETB 157

78.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.66

$2.03 ETB 327

-8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.32

$0.79 ETB 127

227.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.63

$0.62 ETB 99.7

193.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.76

$1.18 ETB 191

66.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.32

$1.02 ETB 164

44.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.65

$0.51 ETB 82.9

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.90

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 €5.02

$4.03 ETB 650

39.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.22

$0.77 ETB 125

76.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.91

$1.94 ETB 313

10.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.68 €40.04

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 €3.45

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.96

$0.48 ETB 77.3

122.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.46 €14.75

$1.97 ETB 316

735.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.97

$1.02 ETB 164

115.69%

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

$34.2K €30.6K

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

$38.7K €34.7K

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

$161 €144

$101 ETB 16.2K

59.92%

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

$18.41 €16.50

$10.15 ETB 1,635

81.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.74 €29.34

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.55 €39.92

$50.9 ETB 8,189

-12.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 €17.11

$60.5 ETB 9,734

-68.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 €8.60

$6.10 ETB 982

57.38%

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

$668 €598

$49.48 ETB 7,967

1249.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €91.4

$49.10 ETB 7,905

107.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 €39.85

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 €88.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 €1,441

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 €1,066

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 €2,520

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,804

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,839 €7,025

$2,039 ETB 328.3K

284.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,576 €4,100

$1,502 ETB 241.8K

204.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 €1,411

$200 ETB 32.2K

688.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.8%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$272 12.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Lisbon

$243 11%

Bahir Dar

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$212 9.6%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$166 7.5%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$64 2.9%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Bahir Dar

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Lisbon are about 7.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

06:27 6:27 AM

09:27 9:27 AM

3 h ahead of Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

350,000

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1,000 ETB = 6.21 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.58 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇺 Euro (€)

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.21 USD). 1 EUR = 179 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.58 EUR).

USD to EUR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lisbon Bahir Dar 5,490 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Lisbon
Bahir Dar

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

Lisbon vs Bahir Dar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 491% more than Bahir Dar, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $561 in Bahir Dar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $374 in Bahir Dar. That makes Bahir Dar about 83% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 118% more in Lisbon, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $374, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $374 in Bahir Dar to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Bahir Dar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.