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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $891 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,471 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $2,051 in Bamako.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 154% more expensive than Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Bamako is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.82

$6.82 F CFA 3,879

133.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €55.0

$37.70 F CFA 21.4K

68.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €9.01

$6.26 F CFA 3,561

65.81%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.42

$1.90 F CFA 1,081

46.84%

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

$2.34 €2.03

$0.75 F CFA 424

212.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.36

$0.59 F CFA 337

166.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.97

$2.41 F CFA 1,367

42.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.39

$21.40 F CFA 12.2K

-81.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

-52.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.53

$3.89 F CFA 2,212

-54.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.48

Eggs

$3.15 €2.73

$6.72 F CFA 3,819

-53.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.86

$17.94 F CFA 10.2K

-23.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.95

$15.88 F CFA 9,027

-49.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.46

$12.33 F CFA 7,007

25.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.99

$3.97 F CFA 2,258

-42.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.02 F CFA 582

60.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.68

$2.89 F CFA 1,643

-32.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.18

$2.15 F CFA 1,220

16.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.34 F CFA 764

33.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.36 F CFA 775

47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.10 F CFA 58.4

1870.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.77 F CFA 1,573

-69.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.89

$0.94 F CFA 536

622.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.51 F CFA 860

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.62

$1.61 F CFA 916

87.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$4.63 F CFA 2,630

-50.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.40

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.27 F CFA 720

-33.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.85

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.16 F CFA 659

71.55%

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

$35.0K €30.4K

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

$39.5K €34.3K

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

$146 €127

$151 F CFA 85.9K

-3.20%

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

$20.45 €17.73

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.80

$57.1 F CFA 32.5K

-31.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.48

$68.0 F CFA 38.7K

-27.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.33

$4.15 F CFA 2,360

353.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.26

$5.70 F CFA 3,242

67.02%

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

$608 €527

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €90.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.53

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €80.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,406

$173 F CFA 98.3K

838.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,099

$81.6 F CFA 46.4K

1454.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,643

$398 F CFA 226.2K

666.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,742

$294 F CFA 167.2K

583.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,645

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,754

$1,252 F CFA 711.6K

245.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,374

$260 F CFA 147.8K

509.56%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bamako: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $173 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 510% 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 $358, 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 154% 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.

Lisbon pays 510% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $173 in Bamako. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $891 in Bamako – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 33% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bamako versus $2,263 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 $891 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 154% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.