Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Douala Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Douala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $1,382 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $2,200 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $3,018 in Douala, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 66% more than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Lisbon and Douala sit above the global median – Lisbon by 68%, Douala by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$4.35 FCFA 2,486

304.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$123 FCFA 70.1K

-48.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.18 FCFA 4,100

61.28%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.10 FCFA 1,200

47.62%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.72 FCFA 985

44.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.81 FCFA 461

114.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.26 FCFA 720

176.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.62 FCFA 1,496

31.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.96 FCFA 1,693

-61.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.42 FCFA 239

354.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.32 FCFA 1,326

-35.34%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.01 FCFA 1,147

98.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$23.14 FCFA 13.2K

-42.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$8.02 FCFA 4,582

-0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$6.52 FCFA 3,728

176.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.73 FCFA 2,702

-50.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.17 FCFA 1,238

-19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.15 FCFA 1,227

-13.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.43 FCFA 815

78.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.28 FCFA 1,877

-43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.24 FCFA 1,278

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.72 FCFA 413

106.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.65 FCFA 371

26.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.67 FCFA 1,527

165.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.88 FCFA 5,073

-33.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.52 FCFA 870

-13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.85 FCFA 1,059

15.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.65 FCFA 370

263.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$17.44 FCFA 9,968

167.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.59 FCFA 338

591.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.91 FCFA 521

25.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$8.22 FCFA 4,698

107.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.45 FCFA 827

59.31%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$30.4K FCFA 17.3M

12.43%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

156.71%

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

$169 €147

$165 FCFA 94.0K

2.41%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$26.52 FCFA 15.2K

-27.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$185 FCFA 105.6K

-81.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$42.26 FCFA 24.1K

15.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$9.02 FCFA 5,157

6.10%

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

$696 €607

$539 FCFA 307.9K

29.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$3,461 FCFA 2.0M

401.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$80.8 FCFA 46.2K

30.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$68.2 FCFA 39.0K

-30.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$145 FCFA 82.8K

-30.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$155 FCFA 88.8K

-19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$566 FCFA 323.6K

193.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$331 FCFA 189.4K

276.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,385 FCFA 791.5K

114.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$560 FCFA 320.1K

265.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$2,067 FCFA 1.2M

278.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$990 FCFA 565.5K

351.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$232 FCFA 132.5K

603.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

19.04

-80.15%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Douala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $566 in Douala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 604% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $123 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $287 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Douala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $2,073 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $123 in Douala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Douala, where all-in costs run around $1,382, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Douala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Douala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.