Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boroko Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boroko

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,120 in Boroko, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,557 in Boroko, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,995 in Boroko, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 105% more than Boroko, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Boroko is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$7.78 PGK 34.23

108.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$37.91 PGK 167

67.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.83 PGK 25.65

77.02%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.26 PGK 9.94

25.22%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.74 PGK 3.27

209.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.81 PGK 3.55

95.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.38 PGK 10.48

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$4.13 PGK 18.18

-2.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.70 PGK 7.48

-35.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.31 PGK 5.75

33.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.32 PGK 5.82

33.33%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.84 PGK 16.92

-17.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$4.31 PGK 18.96

206.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$6.35 PGK 27.93

25.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$6.98 PGK 30.71

122.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$4.10 PGK 18.04

-42.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.80 PGK 12.32

-38.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.03 PGK 13.32

-33.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.86 PGK 12.60

-15.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.06 PGK 13.47

-42.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.92 PGK 4.07

120.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.19 PGK 5.22

61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.50 PGK 2.19

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$5.88 PGK 25.89

11.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$5.16 PGK 22.70

8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.23 PGK 5.42

8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.73 PGK 7.60

71.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.50 PGK 2.21

356.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$31.82 PGK 140

43.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$4.83 PGK 21.26

-12.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.44 PGK 6.35

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$11.97 PGK 52.7

54.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.86 PGK 3.77

141.86%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$22.5K PGK 98.9K

54.19%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$24.2K PGK 106.4K

61.88%

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

$148 €130

$66.3 PGK 292

123.27%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$48.00 PGK 211

-57.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$245 PGK 1,076

-83.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$44.74 PGK 197

7.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$15.49 PGK 68.2

20.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$7.14 PGK 31.43

29.13%

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

$616 €539

$361 PGK 1,589

70.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,361 PGK 10.4K

596.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$31.74 PGK 140

223.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$14.69 PGK 64.6

184.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$47.45 PGK 209

99.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$28.24 PGK 124

332.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$3,624 PGK 15.9K

-54.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$236 PGK 1,037

422.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$3,612 PGK 15.9K

-14.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$237 PGK 1,045

755.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$360 PGK 1,584

346.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-65.36%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Boroko: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $3,624 in Boroko. 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 346% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $38.00 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $222 – making Boroko 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 Boroko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 105% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,679 in Boroko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $361 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,291 in Lisbon and $1,120 in Boroko. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $1,120 versus $2,291 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 Boroko. 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.