Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gulu

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $114 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $25,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Gulu, Uganda
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Gulu
🇺🇬 Uganda
$114
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Gulu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Gulu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $114 in Gulu.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Gulu $114

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $167 in Gulu.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Gulu $167

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $219 in Gulu.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Gulu $219

Living in Lisbon is roughly 1838% more expensive than in Gulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Gulu is 92% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$1.22 UGX 5,319
1264.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$10.93 UGX 47.5K
3.93%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.43 UGX 10.6K
22.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$0.25 UGX 1,089
816.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.10 UGX 444
1640.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$0.74 UGX 3,201
359.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$2.48 UGX 10.8K
33.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
-
-
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.93 UGX 4,034
150.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$28.56 UGX 124.1K
56.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.19 UGX 5,149
84.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Gulu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
0
-

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Gulu: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Gulu
–
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Gulu
–
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Gulu
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Gulu
–
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Gulu
–
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Gulu
–
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Gulu
–
Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇬 Gulu
🕒 Local time
00:06 12:06 AM
03:06 3:06 AM
3 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
152,276
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4,345 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.3 USD). 1 EUR = 4,851 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.06 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Gulu 5,790 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Gulu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gulu cheaper than Lisbon?
Gulu is about 95% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $171 in Gulu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Gulu runs roughly 36% less than in Lisbon. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Gulu?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $114 in Gulu – Gulu is about 95% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Gulu?
At $114 in Gulu versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gulu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Gulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Lisbon or in Gulu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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