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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 112% more than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Durban is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$7.52 R 124

115.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$28.22 R 466

124.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.94 R 81.6

108.91%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.90 R 31.28

48.95%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.90 R 14.81

154.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.67 R 11.00

135.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.97 R 32.54

72.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.26 R 37.29

78.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.05 R 17.30

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.96 R 15.88

82.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.44 R 23.75

22.22%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.09 R 34.55

51.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$7.50 R 124

75.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.52 R 74.6

76.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$6.16 R 102

152.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.56 R 25.68

51.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.40 R 23.12

22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.33 R 22.00

51.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.31 R 21.66

85.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.31 R 21.60

34.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.22 R 20.21

66.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.97 R 16.03

97.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.96 R 15.85

-11.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.00 R 49.59

119.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$4.75 R 78.5

17.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.39 R 22.94

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.74 R 28.80

70.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.51 R 24.92

50.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$38.64 R 638

18.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.69 R 27.90

150.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.58 R 9.62

39.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$6.78 R 112

171.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.32 R 21.76

57.58%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$20.5K R 339.0K

68.80%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$24.1K R 397.6K

62.55%

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

$148 €130

$146 R 2,403

1.70%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$29.42 R 486

-30.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$34.24 R 565

15.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$33.69 R 556

42.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$9.42 R 155

97.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$6.88 R 114

34.01%

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

$616 €540

$205 R 3,383

200.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,576 R 75.5K

259.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$41.95 R 692

144.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$29.69 R 490

40.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$96.4 R 1,592

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$71.5 R 1,180

70.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$377 R 6,230

332.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$364 R 6,009

238.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$759 R 12.5K

308.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$588 R 9,702

245.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$898 R 14.8K

771.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$597 R 9,849

635.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,247 R 20.6K

28.88%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $377 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 29% 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 $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 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 112%, 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 $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,625 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 $2,291 in Lisbon and $1,083 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% 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 $1,083, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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.