Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bloemfontein Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bloemfontein

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $962 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,461 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,960 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 130% more than Bloemfontein, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Bloemfontein is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$11.14 R 181

42.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$37.74 R 613

71.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.61 R 107

59.00%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.83 R 29.73

56.83%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.40 R 22.72

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.95 R 15.41

57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.36 R 38.32

47.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.21 R 35.87

75.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.00 R 16.18

14.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.98 R 16.00

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.98 R 32.11

-11.11%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.99 R 32.34

61.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.99 R 114

92.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.83 R 78.5

63.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.99 R 114

127.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.66 R 27.03

39.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.17 R 18.95

45.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.46 R 23.67

37.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.33 R 21.68

84.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.86 R 14.00

113.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.73 R 28.11

15.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.07 R 17.37

80.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.91 R 14.79

-13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.54 R 41.32

160.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$4.89 R 79.4

16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.48 R 24.03

-7.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.52 R 24.68

95.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.78 R 12.66

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.10 R 17.92

290.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.66 R 10.74

24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$3.96 R 64.3

362.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.29 R 20.88

59.69%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$23.0K R 373.6K

49.09%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$24.8K R 402.9K

58.49%

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

$148 €127

$75.3 R 1,224

96.27%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$30.97 R 503

-33.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$35.17 R 571

12.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$29.07 R 472

64.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.74 R 93.4

59.93%

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

$614 €528

$124 R 2,017

394.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$4,264 R 69.3K

276.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$56.3 R 915

85.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$31.94 R 519

31.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$126 R 2,055

-25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$91.7 R 1,491

30.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$294 R 4,779

453.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$290 R 4,711

332.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$475 R 7,717

538.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$509 R 8,273

296.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$501 R 8,147

1455.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$640 R 10.4K

567.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,338 R 21.7K

19.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.47

-66.78%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bloemfontein: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $294 in Bloemfontein. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $38.00 in Bloemfontein. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $171 – making Bloemfontein the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bloemfontein: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 130% more than Bloemfontein, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,443 in Bloemfontein. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloemfontein, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $38.00 in Bloemfontein. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bloemfontein, where all-in costs run around $962, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Bloemfontein it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bloemfontein costs $962 versus $2,210 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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