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: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $969 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $1,393 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,816 in Cotonou.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 129% 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

$15.78 €13.59

$3.57 F CFA 2,017

342.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$26.18 F CFA 14.8K

138.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$5.41 F CFA 3,053

94.82%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$5.62 F CFA 3,171

-50.71%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$0.92 F CFA 522

147.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$0.72 F CFA 404

115.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$1.43 F CFA 809

148.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

13.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.66 F CFA 1,504

-59.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.42 F CFA 803

24.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.92 F CFA 1,086

-7.81%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

39.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$9.36 F CFA 5,284

42.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$4.85 F CFA 2,737

64.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$4.96 F CFA 2,797

220.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.02 F CFA 2,269

-43.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.44 F CFA 815

13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.26 F CFA 709

57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.82 F CFA 1,028

34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.34 F CFA 756

32.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.48 F CFA 837

33.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.48 F CFA 270

310.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.23 F CFA 693

-34.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$2.32 F CFA 1,307

181.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$4.53 F CFA 2,556

26.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.24 F CFA 701

6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.21 F CFA 1,249

35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

29.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$1.38 F CFA 778

208.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.31 F CFA 737

-35.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$1.72 F CFA 970

996.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.11 F CFA 626

86.49%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$24.4K F CFA 13.8M

58.35%

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

$151 €130

$269 F CFA 152.0K

-43.86%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$44.74 F CFA 25.3K

-53.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$56.0 F CFA 31.6K

-29.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$60.0 F CFA 33.9K

-19.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$5.40 F CFA 3,046

244.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$7.72 F CFA 4,356

17.10%

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

$610 €525

$190 F CFA 107.3K

221.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$6,481 F CFA 3.7M

151.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$17.36 F CFA 9,797

483.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$9.01 F CFA 5,087

350.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$8.61 F CFA 4,862

980.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$47.92 F CFA 27.0K

147.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$200 F CFA 113.0K

700.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$148 F CFA 83.8K

734.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$584 F CFA 329.4K

417.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$283 F CFA 159.7K

628.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $200 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $211 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 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $1,454 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $200 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 $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $969 in Cotonou – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $969 in Cotonou versus $2,217 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 129% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.