Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kinshasa

For one person, living is cheaper in Kinshasa: $1,723 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Kinshasa
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
$1,723
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Kinshasa

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

A single person spends $2,223 per month in Lisbon vs $1,723 in Kinshasa, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Kinshasa $1,723

A couple spends around $3,271 per month in Lisbon vs $3,035 in Kinshasa, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Kinshasa $3,035

A family of three spends $4,319 per month in Lisbon vs $4,347 in Kinshasa, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Kinshasa $4,347

Lisbon costs about 29% more than Kinshasa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lisbon and Kinshasa sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Kinshasa by 28%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$18.09 CDF 41.0K
-8.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$85.9 CDF 194.6K
-28.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$15.24 CDF 34.5K
-26.05%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$6.49 CDF 14.7K
-52.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.73 CDF 6,194
-17.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$2.06 CDF 4,662
-16.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$2.52 CDF 5,702
34.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$4.56 CDF 10.3K
-25.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$3.31 CDF 7,491
-66.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.23 CDF 5,061
-16.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$3.15 CDF 7,138
-51.43%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$3.99 CDF 9,049
-0.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$9.59 CDF 21.7K
33.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$16.80 CDF 38.1K
-52.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$12.35 CDF 28.0K
37.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.62 CDF 8,191
-37.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$3.05 CDF 6,912
-42.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$4.25 CDF 9,637
-56.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$4.16 CDF 9,432
-38.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$3.36 CDF 7,607
-44.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$3.09 CDF 7,000
-34.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.09 CDF 4,741
-31.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$1.46 CDF 3,305
-43.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$4.58 CDF 10.4K
43.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$15.86 CDF 35.9K
-64.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.95 CDF 4,424
-34.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$4.29 CDF 9,709
-51.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.48 CDF 1,079
389.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$22.01 CDF 49.9K
100.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$5.62 CDF 12.7K
-29.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.26 CDF 2,857
-13.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$5.06 CDF 11.5K
228.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.78 CDF 4,028
28.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$85.1 CDF 192.9K
96.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$27.99 CDF 63.4K
-32.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$69.9 CDF 158.4K
-52.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$77.8 CDF 176.3K
-40.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$21.96 CDF 49.8K
-12.61%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$15.13 CDF 34.3K
-34.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$562 CDF 1.3M
20.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$10.7K CDF 24.2M
58.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$44.71 CDF 101.3K
126.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$38.01 CDF 86.1K
20.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$111 CDF 252.5K
-10.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$125 CDF 283.2K
-1.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$1,696 CDF 3.8M
-4.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$543 CDF 1.2M
120.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$4,128 CDF 9.4M
-30.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,525 CDF 3.5M
30.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$4,958 CDF 11.2M
52.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$1,249 CDF 2.8M
244.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Kinshasa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$350 CDF 791.8K
354.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
14
-72.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kinshasa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Kinshasa
$543 54.6% $654
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Kinshasa
$400 48.6% $131
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Kinshasa
$309 27.7% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Kinshasa
$183 16.6% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Kinshasa
$144 13.7% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Kinshasa
$108 64.5% $42
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Kinshasa
$36 43.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,696 in Kinshasa. 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 354% 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 $61.0 in Lisbon versus $86.0 in Kinshasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $400 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇩 Kinshasa
🕒 Local time
21:59 9:59 PM
21:59 9:59 PM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
17,032,322 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CDF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Kinshasa 5,400 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Kinshasa

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 Kinshasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lisbon and in Kinshasa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon, $1,723 in Kinshasa – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Kinshasa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,335 per month in Lisbon and $2,584 in Kinshasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lisbon and Kinshasa?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kinshasa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Lisbon and $86.0 in Kinshasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Kinshasa?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,223 in Lisbon and $1,723 in Kinshasa. That's a gap of about 29%.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kinshasa, where all-in costs run around $1,723, than in Lisbon at $2,223. In Kinshasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Kinshasa?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,723 in Kinshasa to $2,223 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Lisbon or Kinshasa safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Kinshasa?
If budget matters most, go with Kinshasa. 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.

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