Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bosaso Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bosaso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $418 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $684 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $951 in Bosaso.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 448% more expensive than in Bosaso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Bosaso is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$1.98 SOS 1,123

717.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$10.07 SOS 5,720

528.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$4.85 SOS 2,757

112.78%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.23 SOS 701

130.08%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.98 SOS 558

133.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.50 SOS 286

216.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$2.57 SOS 1,461

-57.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.98 SOS 556

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.02 SOS 581

72.55%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.84 SOS 1,047

72.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$5.96 SOS 3,384

121.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$6.60 SOS 3,747

20.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$5.38 SOS 3,054

188.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.55 SOS 2,019

-33.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$3.49 SOS 1,982

-51.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.04 SOS 1,729

-33.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.97 SOS 1,118

23.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.02 SOS 1,146

-12.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.98 SOS 555

107.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.61 SOS 917

-47.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.31 SOS 177

635.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.46 SOS 831

189.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.62 SOS 351

30.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$2.96 SOS 1,681

522.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.02 SOS 579

103.92%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$3,997 SOS 2.3M

767.34%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$8,976 SOS 5.1M

336.24%

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

$148 €130

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

$20.46 €17.90

$9.98 SOS 5,668

105.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$31.46 SOS 17.9K

25.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$10.82 SOS 6,145

849.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$15.24 SOS 8,657

173.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$12.89 SOS 7,324

635.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$14.90 SOS 8,464

718.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$124 SOS 70.2K

1220.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$83.5 SOS 47.4K

1376.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$199 SOS 112.8K

1460.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$187 SOS 106.3K

985.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

-73.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$299 SOS 169.9K

437.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

8.57

-55.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $124 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 437% 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 $10.00 in Bosaso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $202 per month, with Bosaso 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 Bosaso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bosaso differ by about 448% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $418 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 437% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $124 in Bosaso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bosaso – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $418 in Bosaso – a 448% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $418 in Bosaso versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bosaso but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bosaso 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 Bosaso 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 Bosaso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 448% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.