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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,046 in Durban, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 109% more than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Durban is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$7.60 R 124

109.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$28.12 R 460

130.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$4.97 R 81.3

111.47%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.97 R 32.17

45.69%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.87 R 14.21

157.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.67 R 11.00

123.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.93 R 31.48

80.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.22 R 36.23

74.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.00 R 16.27

14.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.91 R 14.89

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.48 R 24.27

18.92%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.11 R 34.46

52.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$7.28 R 119

85.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.59 R 75.1

72.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$6.33 R 104

150.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.57 R 25.68

47.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.36 R 22.21

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.38 R 22.57

45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.36 R 22.27

80.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.27 R 20.78

44.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.18 R 19.29

69.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.97 R 15.92

98.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.96 R 15.67

-17.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$3.13 R 51.3

111.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$5.02 R 82.1

13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.46 R 23.88

-6.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.75 R 28.55

69.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.50 R 24.47

58.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$37.86 R 619

20.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.71 R 27.92

150.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.61 R 10.01

34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$6.78 R 111

169.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.28 R 20.85

60.94%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$20.3K R 331.9K

68.82%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$24.2K R 396.2K

62.12%

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

$148 €127

$147 R 2,402

0.64%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$29.29 R 479

-29.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$33.72 R 551

17.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$34.46 R 563

38.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$9.14 R 149

107.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$6.56 R 107

39.94%

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

$614 €529

$210 R 3,425

193.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$4,585 R 75.0K

250.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$42.78 R 699

144.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$29.50 R 482

42.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$93.3 R 1,524

0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$73.1 R 1,194

63.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$373 R 6,099

336.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$368 R 6,009

241.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$754 R 12.3K

302.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$594 R 9,708

240.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$910 R 14.9K

756.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$581 R 9,496

635.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$1,395 R 22.8K

14.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

12.01

-68.28%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $373 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 15% 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 $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $168 – 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 109%, 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,587 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,058 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% 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 $1,058, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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.