Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bujumbura Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bujumbura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $498 in Bujumbura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $931 in Bujumbura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,364 in Bujumbura.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 360% more expensive than in Bujumbura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Bujumbura is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$1.80 BIF 5,344

799.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$33.59 BIF 99.9K

88.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$3.91 BIF 11.6K

163.94%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.38 BIF 10.1K

-16.27%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.68 BIF 4,982

36.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.09 BIF 3,237

44.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.25 BIF 6,701

51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.94 BIF 17.7K

-32.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.79 BIF 2,356

37.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.34 BIF 3,989

30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.69 BIF 5,026

4.14%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.32 BIF 9,864

-4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$10.25 BIF 30.5K

28.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$9.74 BIF 29.0K

-18.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$9.90 BIF 29.4K

56.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$6.02 BIF 17.9K

-60.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.51 BIF 1,512

235.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.76 BIF 5,221

14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.36 BIF 4,034

78.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.50 BIF 1,490

252.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.61 BIF 1,801

232.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.51 BIF 1,526

276.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.64 BIF 4,882

-48.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.44 BIF 7,268

169.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$11.50 BIF 34.2K

-51.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.07 BIF 6,152

-35.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.27 BIF 9,719

-9.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.99 BIF 2,959

130.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$29.90 BIF 88.9K

53.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$6.78 BIF 20.2K

-37.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$3.56 BIF 10.6K

-77.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$29.57 BIF 88.0K

-37.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.32 BIF 3,928

57.58%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

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

$20.46 €17.92

$2.57 BIF 7,641

696.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

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

$616 €540

$105 BIF 311.2K

488.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$10.8K BIF 32.1M

52.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$287 BIF 853.6K

468.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$71.7 BIF 213.3K

1618.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$490 BIF 1.5M

531.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$292 BIF 868.0K

596.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,994 BIF 5.9M

292.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,632 BIF 4.9M

168.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$363 BIF 1.1M

342.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

14.17

-73.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bujumbura: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $287 in Bujumbura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 343% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in Bujumbura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $262 per month, with Bujumbura 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 Bujumbura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bujumbura wins on cost – living expenses run 360% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bujumbura the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 343% 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 $287 in Bujumbura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $498 in Bujumbura – a 360% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bujumbura runs roughly 53% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $498 in Bujumbura versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bujumbura but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bujumbura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bujumbura delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $498 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bujumbura hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bujumbura 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 Bujumbura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 360% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.