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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $1,636 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $2,621 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $3,606 in Douala, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 36% more than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Lisbon and Douala sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Douala by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$9.02 FCFA 5,062

79.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$126 FCFA 70.4K

-48.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$5.15 FCFA 2,890

101.55%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.89 FCFA 1,062

46.56%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.68 FCFA 941

33.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.83 FCFA 467

89.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.18 FCFA 660

195.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.66 FCFA 1,492

50.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.90 FCFA 1,627

-62.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.45 FCFA 250

286.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.24 FCFA 1,258

-22.32%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.91 FCFA 1,069

66.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$22.75 FCFA 12.8K

-40.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$7.72 FCFA 4,329

3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$6.58 FCFA 3,690

144.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.94 FCFA 2,773

-53.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.10 FCFA 1,177

-18.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.09 FCFA 1,171

-7.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.36 FCFA 762

86.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.38 FCFA 1,897

-45.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.24 FCFA 1,256

-8.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.73 FCFA 408

171.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.67 FCFA 375

26.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.59 FCFA 2,011

90.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$8.32 FCFA 4,669

-30.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.35 FCFA 758

1.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.95 FCFA 1,092

48.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.65 FCFA 362

250.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$17.48 FCFA 9,807

167.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.55 FCFA 306

641.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.76 FCFA 426

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$8.19 FCFA 4,592

123.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.37 FCFA 768

46.72%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$31.0K FCFA 17.4M

13.58%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

140.17%

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

$145 €124

$170 FCFA 95.2K

-14.31%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$25.96 FCFA 14.6K

-19.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$182 FCFA 101.9K

-77.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$23.43 FCFA 13.1K

108.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$3.47 FCFA 1,948

438.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$8.60 FCFA 4,822

5.35%

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

$607 €519

$530 FCFA 297.3K

14.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

361.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$81.1 FCFA 45.5K

29.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$70.3 FCFA 39.4K

-41.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$142 FCFA 79.4K

-33.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$153 FCFA 86.0K

-22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$915 FCFA 513.0K

75.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$585 FCFA 328.3K

111.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,889 FCFA 1.1M

61.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,129 FCFA 633.3K

82.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,108 FCFA 1.2M

265.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,005 FCFA 563.8K

324.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$163 FCFA 91.6K

869.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

19.21

-80.17%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Douala: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $915 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 870% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $126 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $282 – 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 36%, 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 $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $2,454 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 4% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon and $126 in Douala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Douala, where all-in costs run around $1,636, than in Lisbon at $2,227. 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.