Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,179 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,810 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,442 in Johannesburg, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 87% more than Johannesburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Johannesburg is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$11.02 R 180

44.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$45.02 R 735

43.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$4.91 R 80.1

114.05%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.27 R 37.04

26.43%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.99 R 16.13

126.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.77 R 12.63

94.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.63 R 42.97

32.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.53 R 41.29

53.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.19 R 19.34

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.06 R 17.22

65.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.70 R 27.70

3.53%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.52 R 41.07

27.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$8.36 R 136

61.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.68 R 76.3

69.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$6.67 R 109

137.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.68 R 27.36

37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.48 R 24.14

14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.49 R 24.38

34.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.59 R 25.88

54.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.43 R 23.28

28.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.46 R 23.84

36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.06 R 17.28

82.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.88 R 14.32

-10.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$3.03 R 49.51

118.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.11 R 99.7

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.36 R 22.12

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.67 R 27.24

77.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.72 R 27.99

37.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$69.0 R 1,125

-33.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.10 R 17.95

290.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.95 R 15.43

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$4.07 R 66.4

349.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.28 R 20.94

60.94%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$22.6K R 368.5K

51.79%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$24.4K R 397.6K

61.27%

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

$148 €127

$119 R 1,937

24.59%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$39.96 R 652

-48.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$43.32 R 707

-8.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$33.66 R 549

42.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$13.96 R 228

35.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$7.40 R 121

24.05%

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

$614 €529

$206 R 3,368

197.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$4,959 R 80.9K

223.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$51.3 R 836

104.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$34.03 R 555

23.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$91.9 R 1,500

2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$78.8 R 1,286

51.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$419 R 6,845

288.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$372 R 6,063

237.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$918 R 15.0K

230.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$718 R 11.7K

181.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$1,063 R 17.3K

633.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$765 R 12.5K

458.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,714 R 28.0K

-6.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.51

-66.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $419 in Johannesburg. 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 7% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $45.00 in Johannesburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $183 – making Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 87% more than Johannesburg, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,768 in Johannesburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johannesburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $45.00 in Johannesburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,179 in Johannesburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,179, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,179 versus $2,210 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Johannesburg. 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.