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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $769 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,391 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,013 in Buea.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 195% more expensive than in Buea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Buea is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$1.82 FCFA 1,026

864.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$126 FCFA 71.4K

-48.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$6.21 FCFA 3,509

87.60%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.12 FCFA 1,195

53.77%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.35 FCFA 762

84.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.48 FCFA 269

247.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.07 FCFA 606

224.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$1.63 FCFA 920

119.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.98 FCFA 1,681

-60.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.41 FCFA 234

375.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.59 FCFA 898

-1.89%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.95 FCFA 1,100

105.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$22.87 FCFA 12.9K

-41.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$7.81 FCFA 4,411

7.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$4.52 FCFA 2,555

303.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.52 FCFA 1,990

-34.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.44 FCFA 813

20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.87 FCFA 489

121.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.42 FCFA 801

85.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.73 FCFA 978

9.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.45 FCFA 817

45.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.74 FCFA 419

94.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.64 FCFA 361

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.74 FCFA 1,547

155.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$9.10 FCFA 5,139

-34.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.22 FCFA 690

11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.76 FCFA 992

22.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.28 FCFA 159

1396.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.52 FCFA 293

111.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$5.19 FCFA 2,933

232.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.19 FCFA 672

89.08%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$19.3K FCFA 10.9M

78.28%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$15.9K FCFA 9.0M

161.28%

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

$171 €147

$62.9 FCFA 35.5K

171.63%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

5.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$178 FCFA 100.7K

-80.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$26.06 FCFA 14.7K

90.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$4.55 FCFA 2,570

328.79%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.65 FCFA 4,890

16.76%

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

$699 €603

$535 FCFA 302.4K

30.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$3,535 FCFA 2.0M

402.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$35.71 FCFA 20.2K

192.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$70.2 FCFA 39.7K

-31.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$147 FCFA 82.8K

-30.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$72.1 FCFA 40.7K

77.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

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

$131 FCFA 73.9K

1138.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

19.04

-80.15%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Buea: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1139% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $126 in Buea. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $253, with Buea cheaper for home cooking.

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 195% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $769 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1139% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $535 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Buea – a meal for two runs $126 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $769 in Buea versus $2,268 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 195% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.