Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dakar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dakar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,318 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,218 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,117 in Dakar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 74% more expensive than in Dakar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Dakar is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$5.43 F CFA 3,117

198.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$52.2 F CFA 30.0K

21.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$10.20 F CFA 5,856

1.18%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.37 F CFA 2,512

-35.24%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.89 F CFA 512

157.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.08 F CFA 620

46.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.70 F CFA 1,552

25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$4.51 F CFA 2,587

-10.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$2.57 F CFA 1,476

-57.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.67 F CFA 385

161.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.62 F CFA 928

8.64%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.76 F CFA 1,584

14.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$12.68 F CFA 7,278

4.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$9.44 F CFA 5,421

-15.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$10.61 F CFA 6,094

46.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.80 F CFA 1,605

-15.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.98 F CFA 1,138

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.58 F CFA 1,483

-22.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.14 F CFA 1,228

13.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.54 F CFA 883

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.34 F CFA 772

51.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.07 F CFA 615

79.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.82 F CFA 469

3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.55 F CFA 893

324.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$17.02 F CFA 9,773

-67.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.13 F CFA 649

17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.23 F CFA 1,283

33.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.36 F CFA 208

533.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

-42.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.58 F CFA 1,480

63.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.80 F CFA 1,608

-71.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

5.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.78 F CFA 1,022

16.85%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

-6.01%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

-21.79%

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

$148 €130

$140 F CFA 80.2K

6.02%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$9.57 F CFA 5,494

113.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

-19.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$55.5 F CFA 31.9K

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$21.51 F CFA 12.4K

-13.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$8.75 F CFA 5,024

5.37%

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

$616 €540

$268 F CFA 153.7K

130.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

123.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

50.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

-4.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$105 F CFA 60.2K

-9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$128 F CFA 73.8K

-5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$931 F CFA 534.4K

75.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$369 F CFA 211.7K

234.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

62.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$933 F CFA 535.4K

117.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

55.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,444 F CFA 829.2K

203.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$420 F CFA 241.3K

282.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

8.25

-53.82%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $931 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 282% 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 $52.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $279, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Dakar differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,318 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 282% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $931 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $1,318 in Dakar – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 72% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,318 in Dakar versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dakar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Dakar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Dakar 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 Dakar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.