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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $494 in Bujumbura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $932 in Bujumbura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,370 in Bujumbura.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 347% more expensive than Bujumbura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Bujumbura is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$1.81 BIF 5,380

779.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$33.35 BIF 99.0K

94.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$3.92 BIF 11.6K

168.11%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.49 BIF 10.3K

-17.77%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.65 BIF 4,902

35.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.13 BIF 3,366

32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.14 BIF 6,353

63.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.81 BIF 17.3K

-33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.85 BIF 2,518

34.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.37 BIF 4,072

27.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.67 BIF 4,957

5.39%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.42 BIF 10.2K

-5.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.14 BIF 30.1K

33.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$10.10 BIF 30.0K

-21.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$9.93 BIF 29.5K

59.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$5.89 BIF 17.5K

-60.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.51 BIF 1,525

233.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.77 BIF 5,258

13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.30 BIF 3,847

89.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.48 BIF 1,413

283.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.55 BIF 1,642

263.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.51 BIF 1,521

278.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.69 BIF 5,007

-53.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.38 BIF 7,062

177.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$11.55 BIF 34.3K

-50.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.03 BIF 6,034

-32.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.20 BIF 9,485

-7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.05 BIF 3,114

125.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$29.51 BIF 87.6K

54.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$6.64 BIF 19.7K

-35.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.46 BIF 10.3K

-76.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$29.58 BIF 87.8K

-38.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.33 BIF 3,945

54.89%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

$2.55 BIF 7,555

704.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

$105 BIF 310.7K

486.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$10.7K BIF 31.8M

49.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

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

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$290 BIF 861.5K

460.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$73.4 BIF 217.8K

1610.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$482 BIF 1.4M

528.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$291 BIF 864.2K

593.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$2,021 BIF 6.0M

285.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,643 BIF 4.9M

160.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$364 BIF 1.1M

340.73%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bujumbura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $290 in Bujumbura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 341% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $33.00 in Bujumbura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $264 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 347% 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.

Lisbon pays 341% 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 $290 in Bujumbura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $494 in Bujumbura – a 347% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bujumbura runs roughly 54% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $494 in Bujumbura versus $2,210 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 $494 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 347% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.