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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $933 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,498 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,062 in Cotonou.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 143% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Cotonou is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$5.29 F CFA 2,990

231.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$36.57 F CFA 20.7K

76.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$9.83 F CFA 5,552

18.51%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$5.39 F CFA 3,046

-39.52%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.08 F CFA 608

130.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.99 F CFA 557

68.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$0.85 F CFA 481

308.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

36.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$3.11 F CFA 1,760

-62.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.23 F CFA 697

58.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.92 F CFA 1,082

-18.75%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.76 F CFA 1,557

45.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$9.92 F CFA 5,605

33.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$5.65 F CFA 3,192

49.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$5.27 F CFA 2,978

245.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

-45.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.87 F CFA 1,057

-7.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.33 F CFA 751

45.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.81 F CFA 1,587

-6.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.31 F CFA 742

45.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.82 F CFA 1,030

15.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.48 F CFA 273

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.12 F CFA 634

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.45 F CFA 1,950

103.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.31 F CFA 2,437

37.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.26 F CFA 711

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.94 F CFA 1,095

10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.31 F CFA 739

81.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.43 F CFA 809

193.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.40 F CFA 791

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.22 F CFA 687

84.43%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$24.3K F CFA 13.8M

70.97%

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

$171 €147

$155 F CFA 87.6K

10.22%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$35.18 F CFA 19.9K

-45.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$49.94 F CFA 28.2K

-31.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$51.1 F CFA 28.9K

-2.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

457.43%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.92 F CFA 5,041

13.23%

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

$699 €603

$135 F CFA 76.5K

416.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$5,847 F CFA 3.3M

203.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$26.84 F CFA 15.2K

289.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$35.63 F CFA 20.1K

185.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$70.4 F CFA 39.8K

82.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$186 F CFA 105.3K

791.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$175 F CFA 99.1K

600.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$619 F CFA 349.8K

370.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$419 F CFA 237.0K

382.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$262 F CFA 148.1K

517.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-5.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $186 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 518% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $37.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $230 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 143% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 518% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $186 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $933 in Cotonou – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $933 in Cotonou versus $2,268 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 143% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.