Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boksburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boksburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,067 in Boksburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,657 in Boksburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,248 in Boksburg.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 107% more expensive than Boksburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Boksburg is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$11.00 R 179

44.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$41.53 R 675

55.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.81 R 78.1

118.50%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.13 R 34.54

34.74%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.03 R 16.71

117.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.82 R 13.24

82.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.25 R 36.57

55.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.72 R 44.23

42.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.19 R 19.39

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.05 R 17.10

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.57 R 25.53

12.10%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.52 R 40.97

27.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.78 R 126

73.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.52 R 73.4

75.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.58 R 107

141.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.63 R 26.57

41.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.49 R 24.19

14.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.58 R 25.70

27.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.64 R 26.70

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.50 R 24.32

22.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.44 R 23.45

38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.04 R 16.90

85.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.15 R 18.73

-31.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.99 R 48.67

121.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$6.07 R 98.6

-5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.35 R 21.94

1.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.77 R 28.73

67.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.67 R 27.21

41.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.09 R 17.71

293.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.91 R 14.76

-9.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$3.13 R 50.8

484.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.29 R 21.01

59.69%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$18.9K R 306.8K

81.54%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$23.8K R 386.6K

65.17%

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

$148 €127

$124 R 2,018

19.09%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$39.83 R 647

-48.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$42.92 R 697

-7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$28.04 R 456

70.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$6.82 R 111

177.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$7.59 R 123

20.95%

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

$614 €528

$200 R 3,256

206.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$4,899 R 79.6K

227.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$50.1 R 814

109.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$31.96 R 519

31.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$89.0 R 1,446

5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$78.6 R 1,278

52.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$305 R 4,949

434.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$333 R 5,408

277.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$607 R 9,872

398.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$730 R 11.9K

176.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$900 R 14.6K

78.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.51

-66.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Boksburg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $305 in Boksburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 78% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $42.00 in Boksburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $184 per month, with Boksburg 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 Boksburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Boksburg differ by about 107% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,067 including rent). Boksburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 78% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $305 in Boksburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,067 in Boksburg – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,067 in Boksburg versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boksburg but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Boksburg 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 Boksburg 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 Boksburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.