Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Buea Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Buea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $545 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $795 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,045 in Buea.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 305% more expensive than Buea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Buea is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$1.81 FCFA 1,020

779.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.09 FCFA 3,436

72.58%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.13 FCFA 1,199

34.74%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.27 FCFA 715

76.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.50 FCFA 281

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.04 FCFA 587

235.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.40 FCFA 787

177.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.03 FCFA 1,710

-62.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.38 FCFA 216

360.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.58 FCFA 890

11.39%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.58 FCFA 1,455

24.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$4.38 FCFA 2,472

262.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.44 FCFA 1,937

-32.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.39 FCFA 786

22.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.86 FCFA 485

133.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.44 FCFA 813

70.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.80 FCFA 1,018

2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.40 FCFA 788

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.72 FCFA 407

9.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$8.89 FCFA 5,013

-35.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.27 FCFA 718

7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.73 FCFA 976

71.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.27 FCFA 154

1488.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.46 FCFA 260

78.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$5.16 FCFA 2,910

254.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.21 FCFA 680

70.25%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$19.3K FCFA 10.9M

77.53%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$21.3K FCFA 12.0M

84.25%

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

$148 €127

$60.8 FCFA 34.3K

143.33%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$17.66 FCFA 9,959

16.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$109 FCFA 61.5K

-63.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$26.32 FCFA 14.8K

81.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$4.30 FCFA 2,425

340.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

$613 FCFA 345.9K

0.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$35.45 FCFA 20.0K

195.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$69.4 FCFA 39.2K

72.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$71.9 FCFA 40.5K

2164.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$61.7 FCFA 34.8K

1933.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$213 FCFA 120.2K

847.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$132 FCFA 74.3K

1117.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Buea: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $71.9 in Buea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1118% 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 Buea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Buea differ by about 305% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $545 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 1118% 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 $71.9 in Buea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $613 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $545 in Buea – a 305% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 in Buea versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buea but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Buea 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 Buea 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 Buea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 305% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.