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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $408 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $677 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $946 in Bosaso.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 442% more expensive than Bosaso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Bosaso is 70% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$1.95 SOS 1,105

715.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$10.15 SOS 5,766

538.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.96 SOS 2,817

111.90%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.22 SOS 695

135.25%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.98 SOS 558

128.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.51 SOS 288

194.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.45 SOS 1,393

-53.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.99 SOS 560

76.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.97 SOS 553

81.44%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.83 SOS 1,037

75.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.08 SOS 3,451

121.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.38 SOS 3,623

23.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$5.55 SOS 3,151

185.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.45 SOS 1,962

-33.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$3.58 SOS 2,036

-52.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.04 SOS 1,727

-33.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.96 SOS 1,113

25.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.97 SOS 1,118

-6.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.03 SOS 584

94.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.69 SOS 961

-53.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.29 SOS 162

717.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.46 SOS 831

193.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.58 SOS 332

41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.96 SOS 1,681

518.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.02 SOS 579

101.96%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$4,068 SOS 2.3M

742.69%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$9,161 SOS 5.2M

328.93%

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

$10.08 SOS 5,723

103.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$31.93 SOS 18.1K

24.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$11.16 SOS 6,340

837.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$14.77 SOS 8,388

184.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$13.07 SOS 7,426

618.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$14.96 SOS 8,496

699.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$127 SOS 72.1K

1182.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

1387.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$200 SOS 113.4K

1417.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$193 SOS 109.6K

946.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

-73.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$303 SOS 172.2K

428.93%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $127 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 429% 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 $10.00 in Bosaso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $201 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 442% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $408 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 429% 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 $127 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $408 in Bosaso – a 442% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $408 in Bosaso versus $2,210 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 442% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.