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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $555 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $816 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,077 in Buea.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 313% more expensive than in Buea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Buea is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$1.72 FCFA 986

841.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$6.08 FCFA 3,489

69.74%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.17 FCFA 1,242

30.41%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.21 FCFA 695

89.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.49 FCFA 281

222.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.03 FCFA 592

230.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.38 FCFA 791

192.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$3.11 FCFA 1,783

-64.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.39 FCFA 222

348.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.59 FCFA 910

10.69%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.67 FCFA 1,529

18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$4.48 FCFA 2,567

246.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.62 FCFA 2,076

-34.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.39 FCFA 797

23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.86 FCFA 496

133.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.42 FCFA 817

71.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.73 FCFA 993

1.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.45 FCFA 831

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.73 FCFA 416

16.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$8.72 FCFA 5,004

-36.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.27 FCFA 727

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.71 FCFA 979

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.27 FCFA 156

1466.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.47 FCFA 267

72.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$5.15 FCFA 2,951

258.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.23 FCFA 707

69.11%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$19.1K FCFA 11.0M

81.22%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$21.1K FCFA 12.1M

85.20%

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

$148 €130

$61.0 FCFA 35.0K

142.67%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$17.94 FCFA 10.3K

14.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$110 FCFA 63.2K

-64.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$26.41 FCFA 15.1K

81.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$4.30 FCFA 2,465

332.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$616 €539

$618 FCFA 354.4K

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$34.64 FCFA 19.9K

196.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$69.4 FCFA 39.8K

75.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$69.6 FCFA 39.9K

2244.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$62.5 FCFA 35.8K

1873.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$208 FCFA 119.1K

878.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$130 FCFA 74.8K

1132.20%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Buea: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $69.6 in Buea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1132% 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 313% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $555 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1132% 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 $69.6 in Buea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $618 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $555 in Buea – a 313% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $555 in Buea versus $2,291 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 313% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.