Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Elmina Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Elmina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $680 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $1,160 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,640 in Elmina, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 240% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Elmina is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$8.14 GHS 92.0

112.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$53.4 GHS 604

18.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$10.81 GHS 122

5.37%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$4.72 GHS 53.3

-32.42%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.65 GHS 18.66

48.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.49 GHS 5.48

259.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.86 GHS 21.01

93.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.27 GHS 25.65

49.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$3.81 GHS 43.11

-67.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.80 GHS 20.34

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$3.14 GHS 35.48

-51.59%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$2.71 GHS 30.61

49.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$12.56 GHS 142

7.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$7.49 GHS 84.6

12.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$10.26 GHS 116

77.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.77 GHS 42.55

-39.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.47 GHS 16.63

18.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.86 GHS 21.06

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$3.75 GHS 42.42

-29.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.81 GHS 31.80

-31.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.73 GHS 30.84

-23.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.78 GHS 8.78

84.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.62 GHS 6.95

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.59 GHS 29.23

161.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$7.16 GHS 80.9

-20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.32 GHS 14.93

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.46 GHS 27.75

-9.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.73 GHS 19.53

141.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.29 GHS 14.59

-11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$4.38 GHS 49.50

303.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.39 GHS 15.73

66.91%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

341.42%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

303.70%

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

$170 €146

$74.0 GHS 836

130.33%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$19.52 GHS 221

-0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$43.23 GHS 489

-22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$13.10 GHS 148

-24.27%

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

$717 €617

$468 GHS 5,294

53.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

-5.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$14.64 GHS 165

615.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$19.45 GHS 220

141.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$37.21 GHS 420

177.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$55.0 GHS 621

125.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

26.75

-85.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $53.0 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Lisbon vs $290 in Elmina – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 240%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $1,021 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $53.0 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elmina – 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 Elmina. 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.