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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $324 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $496 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $667 in Bosaso.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 608% more expensive than in Bosaso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Bosaso is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$2.01 SOS 1,142

775.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$5.05 SOS 2,868

129.31%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.51 SOS 860

105.30%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.02 SOS 579

144.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.63 SOS 360

176.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.94 SOS 1,671

-60.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.39 SOS 221

284.62%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$2.96 SOS 1,680

170.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$4.06 SOS 2,306

344.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.99 SOS 1,128

18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.94 SOS 1,670

-40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.51 SOS 860

-45.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$1.02 SOS 579

596.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.29 SOS 165

713.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.73 SOS 985

135.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.87 SOS 497

31.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$2.52 SOS 1,429

578.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.89 SOS 503

159.55%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

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

$41.4K €36.1K

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

$169 €147

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

$19.33 €16.85

$9.85 SOS 5,596

96.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$32.31 SOS 18.4K

3.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

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

$696 €607

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$11.18 SOS 6,349

841.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$15.06 SOS 8,557

217.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$13.20 SOS 7,495

661.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$14.79 SOS 8,402

741.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$124 SOS 70.2K

1244.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$86.2 SOS 48.9K

1346.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$203 SOS 115.1K

1363.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$189 SOS 107.5K

982.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$30.1K SOS 17.1M

-73.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$299 SOS 170.1K

444.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-62.20%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $124 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 445% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 608% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $324 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 445% 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 $124 in Bosaso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 167% 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 $324 in Bosaso – a 608% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $324 in Bosaso versus $2,296 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 608% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.