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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $340 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $580 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $820 in Chingola.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 549% more expensive than Chingola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Chingola is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$12.64 ZMW 226

25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$20.63 ZMW 368

213.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.39 ZMW 6.99

474.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.30 ZMW 5.37

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$0.52 ZMW 9.23

571.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.03 ZMW 18.38

276.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.03 ZMW 18.41

10.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.83 ZMW 14.76

110.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.13 ZMW 38.01

-17.37%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.09 ZMW 19.39

195.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$2.02 ZMW 36.09

291.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$3.74 ZMW 66.8

324.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.62 ZMW 28.83

42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.63 ZMW 29.17

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.70 ZMW 30.39

18.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.61 ZMW 28.77

52.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.43 ZMW 43.30

-24.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.20 ZMW 21.50

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.74 ZMW 13.13

6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.26 ZMW 22.47

424.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.43 ZMW 97.0

5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.51 ZMW 9.17

168.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$0.60 ZMW 10.63

395.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.44 ZMW 7.91

86.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$8.40 ZMW 150

117.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.22 ZMW 21.77

68.85%

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

$42.04 ZMW 750

251.74%

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$8.23 ZMW 147

481.41%

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

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$16.28 ZMW 291

542.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$10.28 ZMW 184

309.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$41.08 ZMW 733

128.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$62.3 ZMW 1,111

92.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$16.2K ZMW 289.3K

-73.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$121 ZMW 2,161

1224.41%

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 Chingola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1224% 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 $21.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $119 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 549% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 1224% more on average, 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 127% 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 $21.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $340 in Chingola versus $2,210 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 549% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.