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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $898 in Boroko, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,289 in Boroko, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $1,680 in Boroko, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 152% more than Boroko, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Boroko is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$7.21 PGK 31.27

143.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$36.26 PGK 157

77.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$5.77 PGK 25.04

101.91%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.45 PGK 10.65

33.06%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.77 PGK 3.36

223.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.65 PGK 2.84

156.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.77 PGK 12.03

25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.71 PGK 16.11

-3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.57 PGK 6.80

-24.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.18 PGK 5.12

65.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.24 PGK 5.38

25.81%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.68 PGK 15.96

8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$5.21 PGK 22.59

154.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$5.23 PGK 22.68

60.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$6.47 PGK 28.10

181.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.03 PGK 17.48

-42.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$3.10 PGK 13.45

-44.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.80 PGK 12.15

-31.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.79 PGK 12.11

-5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.99 PGK 12.97

-36.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.86 PGK 3.72

145.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.12 PGK 4.86

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.46 PGK 2.00

73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$5.70 PGK 24.74

22.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$5.03 PGK 21.85

17.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.10 PGK 4.77

23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.63 PGK 7.06

31.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.47 PGK 2.05

406.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$30.65 PGK 133

50.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.58 PGK 19.89

-8.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.32 PGK 5.73

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$11.29 PGK 48.99

52.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.81 PGK 3.51

177.78%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$21.0K PGK 91.2K

64.07%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$17.9K PGK 77.6K

132.83%

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

$171 €147

$64.0 PGK 278

167.00%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$23.80 PGK 103

-20.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$92.3 PGK 401

-62.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$43.35 PGK 188

14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$14.52 PGK 63.0

34.37%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$6.61 PGK 28.68

52.80%

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

$699 €603

$337 PGK 1,462

107.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$2,276 PGK 9,876

680.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$33.26 PGK 144

214.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$13.70 PGK 59.4

250.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$45.48 PGK 197

123.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$26.86 PGK 117

377.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$3,436 PGK 14.9K

-51.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$224 PGK 974

447.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$3,317 PGK 14.4K

-12.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$223 PGK 968

806.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$365 PGK 1,582

344.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-65.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Boroko: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $3,436 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 344% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $36.00 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $212 – 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 152% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,348 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 $699 per month in Lisbon and $337 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $2,268 in Lisbon and $898 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 $898 versus $2,268 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.