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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,220 in Boksburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,912 in Boksburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,604 in Boksburg.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 88% more expensive than in Boksburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Boksburg is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$12.50 R 205

40.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$45.53 R 746

38.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$5.55 R 90.9

108.65%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.43 R 39.75

27.57%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.15 R 18.89

116.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.84 R 13.77

107.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.25 R 36.78

54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.84 R 46.51

21.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.35 R 22.19

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.15 R 18.82

66.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.75 R 28.67

-14.29%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.73 R 44.78

45.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$8.70 R 142

52.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$5.30 R 86.9

51.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$8.78 R 144

105.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.83 R 29.89

28.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.63 R 26.73

7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.84 R 30.08

0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.87 R 30.56

36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.72 R 28.13

6.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.81 R 29.66

16.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.18 R 19.40

26.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.31 R 21.40

-37.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.44 R 56.3

106.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$6.18 R 101

-4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.61 R 26.35

-18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.01 R 32.86

5.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.29 R 4.83

1306.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.84 R 13.73

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$14.56 R 238

17.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.48 R 24.31

56.08%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$36.6K R 599.9K

-6.83%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$34.6K R 566.5K

19.62%

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

$169 €147

$223 R 3,650

-24.37%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$38.72 R 634

-50.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$37.01 R 606

-9.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$28.75 R 471

69.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.22 R 135

16.42%

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

$696 €607

$245 R 4,008

184.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,577 R 91.3K

211.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$55.1 R 902

91.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$46.33 R 759

3.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$106 R 1,738

-5.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$109 R 1,780

14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$323 R 5,293

414.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$365 R 5,976

241.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$676 R 11.1K

338.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$798 R 13.1K

156.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$901 R 14.8K

81.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

10.91

-65.35%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Boksburg: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $323 in Boksburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 81% 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 $46.00 in Boksburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $211 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 88% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,220 including rent). Boksburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 81% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $323 in Boksburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,220 in Boksburg – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,220 in Boksburg versus $2,296 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 88% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.