Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jeffreys Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeffreys Bay: $1,037 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Jeffreys Bay
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Jeffreys Bay

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 Jeffreys Bay actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $1,037 in Jeffreys Bay.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Jeffreys Bay $1,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $1,610 in Jeffreys Bay.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Jeffreys Bay $1,610

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $2,182 in Jeffreys Bay.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Jeffreys Bay $2,182

Living in Lisbon is roughly 112% more expensive than in Jeffreys Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Jeffreys Bay is 23% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$7.81 R 129
118.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$27.70 R 456
124.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$5.80 R 95.6
90.00%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$1.86 R 30.58
67.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.73 R 12.10
210.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.65 R 10.69
167.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$2.00 R 32.94
71.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$1.97 R 32.45
89.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.15 R 18.90
1.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.01 R 16.67
84.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.50 R 24.72
2.67%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$2.85 R 46.94
42.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$6.36 R 105
102.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$5.10 R 84.1
54.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$7.41 R 122
138.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.06 R 33.88
9.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.54 R 25.34
13.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.65 R 27.16
14.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$1.76 R 28.97
45.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.69 R 27.83
9.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.25 R 20.60
57.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.19 R 19.62
21.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$1.02 R 16.84
-24.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$3.28 R 54.1
104.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$3.78 R 62.2
50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.28 R 21.07
7.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.83 R 30.15
15.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.30 R 21.38
78.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$0.63 R 10.30
526.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.47 R 7.67
123.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$8.29 R 137
106.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.35 R 22.24
62.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$21.1K R 347.7K
60.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$17.7K R 291.3K
116.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$122 R 2,016
33.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$34.82 R 574
-46.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$44.72 R 737
-26.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$32.93 R 543
39.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$6.24 R 103
199.36%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$3.05 R 50.3
219.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$143 R 2,348
380.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$6,135 R 101.1K
187.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$70.8 R 1,166
46.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$38.12 R 628
21.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$111 R 1,825
-9.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$97.6 R 1,608
27.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$431 R 7,094
269.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$340 R 5,609
243.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$721 R 11.9K
295.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$713 R 11.7K
179.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$912 R 15.0K
754.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$598 R 9,860
638.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Jeffreys Bay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
11.94
-67.76%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Jeffreys Bay: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Jeffreys Bay
$340 70.9% $829
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Jeffreys Bay
$183 33% $90
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Jeffreys Bay
$122 50.9% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Jeffreys Bay
$202 6.2% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Jeffreys Bay
$143 15.3% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Jeffreys Bay
$39 40.3% $26
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Jeffreys Bay
$8.1 * 87.1% $55

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $431 in Jeffreys Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $28.00 in Jeffreys Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $183 per month, with Jeffreys Bay cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇿🇦 Jeffreys Bay
🕒 Local time
13:31 1:31 PM
14:31 2:31 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
27,107
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Jeffreys Bay 8,820 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Jeffreys Bay

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 Jeffreys Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jeffreys Bay cheaper than Lisbon?
Jeffreys Bay is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,302 in Lisbon and $1,555 in Jeffreys Bay 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.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Jeffreys Bay?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $431 in Jeffreys Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Jeffreys Bay?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Jeffreys Bay?
All in, you'll spend $2,202 per month in Lisbon versus $1,037 in Jeffreys Bay – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Jeffreys Bay?
At $1,037 in Jeffreys Bay versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeffreys Bay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Jeffreys Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lisbon or Jeffreys Bay more family-friendly?
For families, Jeffreys Bay is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Jeffreys Bay?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Jeffreys Bay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Jeffreys Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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