Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,171 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,816 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $2,461 in Durban, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 94% more than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Durban is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$7.90 R 127

122.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$39.25 R 632

64.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$6.07 R 97.8

91.93%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.85 R 45.83

14.39%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.18 R 19.02

111.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.93 R 14.92

79.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.54 R 40.87

36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.61 R 42.00

37.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.30 R 21.01

-9.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.07 R 17.24

82.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.56 R 25.08

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.44 R 39.31

64.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$8.54 R 137

55.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$5.32 R 85.6

58.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$7.14 R 115

155.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.97 R 31.69

17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.95 R 31.37

-11.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.04 R 32.89

-5.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.63 R 26.26

61.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.56 R 25.08

21.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.44 R 23.25

46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.25 R 20.18

15.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.20 R 19.30

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.65 R 58.8

92.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.95 R 79.7

19.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.50 R 24.20

-9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.00 R 32.17

7.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.91 R 30.69

24.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$22.78 R 367

102.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.46 R 7.39

810.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.77 R 12.44

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$7.69 R 124

124.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.49 R 24.07

51.01%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$36.5K R 588.1K

-5.62%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$33.5K R 538.9K

24.37%

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

$171 €147

$144 R 2,326

18.28%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$34.78 R 560

-45.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$41.26 R 664

-16.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$32.89 R 530

50.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$9.31 R 150

109.56%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$6.88 R 111

46.80%

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

$699 €603

$324 R 5,218

115.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$8,024 R 129.2K

121.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$56.7 R 912

84.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$31.20 R 502

53.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$101 R 1,619

1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$91.2 R 1,469

40.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$490 R 7,898

238.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$390 R 6,275

215.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$833 R 13.4K

249.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$789 R 12.7K

156.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$924 R 14.9K

780.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$614 R 9,895

654.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,293 R 20.8K

25.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

11.81

-67.99%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $490 in Durban. 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 25% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $39.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $200 – making Durban 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 Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 94%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,756 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,268 in Lisbon and $1,171 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Durban – 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 Durban. 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.