Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cotonou Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cotonou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $978 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,407 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,835 in Cotonou.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 128% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Cotonou is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

365.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

139.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

98.09%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

-49.82%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.86 F CFA 483

161.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.78 F CFA 435

101.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.45 F CFA 814

140.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

14.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

-59.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.38 F CFA 774

26.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

-5.95%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

45.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

45.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

62.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

213.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

-41.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.37 F CFA 771

25.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.27 F CFA 710

52.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.77 F CFA 991

43.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.41 F CFA 789

29.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.45 F CFA 811

40.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.48 F CFA 267

312.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.28 F CFA 718

-33.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

193.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

-11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.24 F CFA 698

10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.44 F CFA 810

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.26 F CFA 705

-34.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

920.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.06 F CFA 595

89.62%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

58.46%

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

$145 €124

$269 F CFA 150.9K

-45.96%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

-53.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

-27.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

-17.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

243.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

20.32%

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

$607 €519

$189 F CFA 106.1K

220.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

150.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

495.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

373.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

935.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

140.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$202 F CFA 113.3K

694.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$149 F CFA 83.6K

728.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$577 F CFA 323.7K

427.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$285 F CFA 159.7K

622.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-23.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $202 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $27.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $214 per month, with Cotonou 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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 128% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $1,467 in Cotonou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $202 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $978 in Cotonou – a 128% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Cotonou versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou 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 Cotonou 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 Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 128% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.