Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bambous Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bambous

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $535 in Bambous.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $902 in Bambous.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,268 in Bambous.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 329% more expensive than in Bambous, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Bambous is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$4.36 MUR 207

303.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$37.99 MUR 1,804

65.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$4.12 MUR 196

181.07%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.13 MUR 101

45.54%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.09 MUR 51.6

128.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.44 MUR 20.79

295.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.67 MUR 127

30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.57 MUR 74.7

119.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.20 MUR 56.8

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.73 MUR 34.69

161.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.08 MUR 51.4

38.89%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.59 MUR 123

53.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$5.29 MUR 251

151.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$3.23 MUR 153

147.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$4.27 MUR 203

322.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.07 MUR 98.4

13.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.60 MUR 124

-32.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.45 MUR 68.8

27.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.90 MUR 138

-12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.94 MUR 44.71

95.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.96 MUR 45.74

118.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.71 MUR 33.62

109.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.92 MUR 43.51

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$6.28 MUR 298

13.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.54 MUR 406

-30.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.65 MUR 78.2

-20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.27 MUR 108

-6.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$4.16 MUR 198

-1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.12 MUR 148

-63.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$20.89 MUR 992

-18.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.34 MUR 63.9

72.39%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$36.6K MUR 1.7M

-6.65%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$31.7K MUR 1.5M

30.38%

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

$169 €147

$44.49 MUR 2,113

278.85%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$10.62 MUR 505

82.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$29.53 MUR 1,403

13.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$6.48 MUR 308

47.69%

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

$696 €606

$128 MUR 6,059

445.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$7,820 MUR 371.4K

121.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$78.6 MUR 3,734

33.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$75.4 MUR 3,579

-36.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$121 MUR 5,725

-16.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$76.8 MUR 3,648

62.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.67

-43.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bambous: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Bambous for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $173 per month, with Bambous 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 Bambous: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bambous differ by about 329% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $535 including rent). Bambous is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $803 in Bambous to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $128 in Bambous. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bambous – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $535 in Bambous versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bambous but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bambous 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 Bambous 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 Bambous gentler on the wallet – expenses run 329% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.