Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bamako Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bamako

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $915 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,289 in Lisbon versus $1,501 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Lisbon versus $2,087 in Bamako.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 141% more expensive than in Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Bamako is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.81

$6.52 F CFA 3,756

140.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €55.3

$37.86 F CFA 21.8K

66.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 €9.26

$6.38 F CFA 3,676

65.05%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.54

$1.86 F CFA 1,071

54.84%

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

$2.25 €1.98

$0.74 F CFA 429

204.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.37

$0.57 F CFA 326

173.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.98

$2.43 F CFA 1,398

39.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.43

$20.98 F CFA 12.1K

-81.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$2.27 F CFA 1,310

-52.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.52

$3.92 F CFA 2,259

-55.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.55

Eggs

$3.16 €2.78

$6.79 F CFA 3,914

-53.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.68

$17.61 F CFA 10.1K

-24.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 €6.92

$15.62 F CFA 9,006

-49.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 €13.92

$12.43 F CFA 7,164

27.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.11

$3.95 F CFA 2,275

-39.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.50

$1.02 F CFA 589

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.84 F CFA 1,640

-28.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$2.16 F CFA 1,246

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.35 F CFA 777

37.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.37 F CFA 788

50.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.76

$0.11 F CFA 65.7

1718.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.69

$2.72 F CFA 1,571

-71.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.84

$0.97 F CFA 557

585.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.22

$1.54 F CFA 890

-10.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.65

$1.66 F CFA 958

81.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.05

$4.76 F CFA 2,746

-51.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$1.22 F CFA 703

-34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.65 €16.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.15 F CFA 662

73.91%

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

$35.4K €31.1K

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

$39.1K €34.3K

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

$150 €132

$150 F CFA 86.2K

0.35%

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

$20.55 €18.07

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 €34.68

$57.6 F CFA 33.2K

-31.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €42.25

$67.9 F CFA 39.2K

-29.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.44

$3.99 F CFA 2,298

368.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.18

$5.74 F CFA 3,308

62.02%

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

$628 €552

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €81.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,431

$175 F CFA 100.7K

832.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,084

$79.4 F CFA 45.8K

1452.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,748

$405 F CFA 233.3K

672.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,809

$295 F CFA 170.2K

597.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,824

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,856

$1,244 F CFA 717.2K

252.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,425

$264 F CFA 152.5K

513.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Last update for Bamako: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $175 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 513% 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 $38.00 in Bamako. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $356, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bamako: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 141% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 513% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $175 in Bamako. 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 $915 in Bamako – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $915 in Bamako versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $915 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bamako 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 Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.