Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $780 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,257 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,735 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 183% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Bulawayo is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$4.57 ZWL 123

248.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$30.15 ZWL 810

114.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$5.52 ZWL 148

90.40%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

19.58%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

366.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

248.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

102.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

53.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

-25.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

73.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

-1.12%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

79.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.44 ZWL 280

29.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.92 ZWL 105

101.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$4.37 ZWL 117

263.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

-9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

117.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

55.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

89.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

-25.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

346.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$4.94 ZWL 133

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

-7.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

36.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

355.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$30.35 ZWL 815

50.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

45.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

-64.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$4.95 ZWL 133

269.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

24.10%

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

103.90%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$18.20 ZWL 489

12.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$133 ZWL 3,572

-70.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$25.22 ZWL 677

89.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$9.83 ZWL 264

-6.61%

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

$614 €528

$138 ZWL 3,692

346.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$22.07 ZWL 593

374.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$13.37 ZWL 359

214.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

38.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

120.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$184 ZWL 4,931

786.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$111 ZWL 2,993

1026.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$466 ZWL 12.5K

550.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$409 ZWL 11.0K

394.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

279.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

106.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$302 ZWL 8,116

430.49%

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 Bulawayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $184 in Bulawayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 430% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $179 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 183%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,170 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $780 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $780, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bulawayo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.