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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $766 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,274 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,782 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 199% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Bulawayo is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$4.42 ZWL 118

266.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$29.55 ZWL 788

114.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.52 ZWL 147

86.96%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

18.41%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

340.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

259.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

63.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

-31.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

-2.22%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

75.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$10.46 ZWL 279

26.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$3.89 ZWL 104

104.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$4.31 ZWL 115

260.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

60.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

-13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

115.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

53.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

46.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

86.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

-19.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

327.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$4.97 ZWL 133

12.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

-13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

39.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

338.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$30.04 ZWL 802

52.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

42.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

-63.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$5.02 ZWL 134

267.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

26.83%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

106.74%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$18.35 ZWL 490

11.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$134 ZWL 3,585

-70.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$25.50 ZWL 680

88.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$9.95 ZWL 265

-7.34%

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

$616 €539

$142 ZWL 3,781

334.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$21.35 ZWL 570

381.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$13.38 ZWL 357

211.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

37.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

118.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$184 ZWL 4,899

788.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$112 ZWL 2,992

999.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$459 ZWL 12.2K

575.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$414 ZWL 11.1K

390.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

269.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

112.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$301 ZWL 8,034

433.77%

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 Bulawayo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 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 434% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $180 – 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 199%, 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 $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,149 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 $2,291 in Lisbon and $766 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% 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 $766, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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.