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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,327 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,194 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,061 in Dakar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 66% more expensive than Dakar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Dakar is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

193.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

21.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

2.94%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

-35.21%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.86 F CFA 484

160.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.09 F CFA 615

37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

-11.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

-54.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.64 F CFA 360

173.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.61 F CFA 906

9.32%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

5.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

-16.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

47.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

-15.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

-14.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

-22.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.50 F CFA 844

22.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.34 F CFA 758

49.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.06 F CFA 600

82.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.82 F CFA 460

-3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.61 F CFA 908

310.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

-62.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.18 F CFA 667

16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

33.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.36 F CFA 204

558.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

-43.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

60.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

-71.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

1.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.71 F CFA 963

20.47%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

-5.01%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

-20.20%

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

$148 €127

$138 F CFA 78.0K

6.87%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

106.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

-21.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

-15.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

-11.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

1.77%

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

$614 €528

$272 F CFA 153.4K

125.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

123.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

52.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

-4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-8.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$131 F CFA 74.1K

-8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$914 F CFA 515.2K

78.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$369 F CFA 208.2K

240.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

62.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$938 F CFA 528.9K

115.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

56.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

186.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$431 F CFA 243.2K

271.80%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $914 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 272% 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 $53.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $276, 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 66% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,327 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 272% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $914 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,327 in Dakar – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 77% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,327 in Dakar versus $2,210 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 66% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.