Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chingola Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chingola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $455 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $776 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,097 in Chingola.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 409% more expensive than in Chingola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Chingola is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$16.07 ZMW 307

7.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$25.85 ZMW 494

144.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.54 ZMW 10.37

353.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.38 ZMW 7.30

363.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$0.65 ZMW 12.35

452.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.30 ZMW 24.90

160.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.88 ZMW 35.94

-34.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.28 ZMW 24.37

54.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.58 ZMW 49.35

-41.09%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.93 ZMW 36.95

109.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$5.16 ZMW 98.5

62.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$4.85 ZMW 92.7

276.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.08 ZMW 39.72

10.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.15 ZMW 40.98

-19.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.07 ZMW 39.60

-10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.15 ZMW 41.11

22.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.13 ZMW 59.8

-38.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.59 ZMW 30.44

31.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.88 ZMW 16.85

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$1.54 ZMW 29.42

340.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$5.34 ZMW 102

6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.65 ZMW 12.49

112.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$0.81 ZMW 15.56

174.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.60 ZMW 11.45

90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$10.57 ZMW 202

67.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.41 ZMW 26.96

64.54%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.6K

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

$170 €146

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

219.03%

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

$19.34 €16.62

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$10.59 ZMW 202

354.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$21.26 ZMW 406

392.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$13.00 ZMW 248

261.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

93.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$79.5 ZMW 1,518

55.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$15.7K ZMW 299.0K

-70.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$115 ZMW 2,192

1279.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chingola: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1279% 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 $26.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $171 per month, with Chingola 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 Chingola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 409% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1279% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $455 in Chingola versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chingola is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Chingola 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 Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 409% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.