Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lagos

For one person, living is cheaper in Lagos: $951 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Lagos
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$951
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Lagos

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

A single person spends $2,223 per month in Lisbon vs $951 in Lagos, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Lagos $951

A couple spends around $3,271 per month in Lisbon vs $1,859 in Lagos, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Lagos $1,859

A family of three spends $4,319 per month in Lisbon vs $2,768 in Lagos, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Lagos $2,768

Lisbon costs about 134% more than Lagos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Lagos is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$3.82 ₦5,082
331.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$50.8 ₦67.5K
20.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.02
$7.38 ₦9,815
52.71%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$2.83 ₦3,768
8.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$0.43 ₦577
425.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.22 ₦291
686.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$1.01 ₦1,348
235.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$2.02 ₦2,692
68.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$3.10 ₦4,120
-63.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.50 ₦1,989
24.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.25 ₦1,669
22.40%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$2.27 ₦3,013
74.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$3.44 ₦4,578
270.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$3.79 ₦5,040
108.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$4.58 ₦6,093
270.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.70 ₦2,255
33.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.29 ₦1,716
35.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.11 ₦1,475
66.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$1.29 ₦1,718
99.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.37 ₦1,823
35.77%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.36 ₦1,803
48.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$0.85 ₦1,128
69.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$0.40 ₦528
105.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$0.60 ₦793
993.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$2.52 ₦3,346
123.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$0.54 ₦721
137.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$0.46 ₦612
350.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.40 ₦532
487.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.29
$19.73 ₦26.2K
123.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$0.65 ₦864
513.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$0.95 ₦1,270
14.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.80
$2.25 ₦2,987
639.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.83 ₦1,098
174.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$11.1K ₦14.8M
203.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €34.9K
$13.6K ₦18.1M
188.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$113 ₦150.7K
47.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$15.08 ₦20.1K
24.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$33.09 ₦44.0K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.92
$28.10 ₦37.4K
63.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$6.79 ₦9,027
182.62%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$6.19 ₦8,237
58.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$659 ₦877.1K
2.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.0K
$19.5K ₦26.0M
-13.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.0
$14.85 ₦19.8K
581.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$17.95 ₦23.9K
154.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$36.30 ₦48.3K
175.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$48.95 ₦65.1K
150.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,435
$704 ₦936.6K
129.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$417 ₦554.1K
187.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$2,825 ₦3.8M
1.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,516 ₦2.0M
31.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,739
$3,283 ₦4.4M
130.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$1,597 ₦2.1M
169.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Lagos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$117 ₦155.2K
1261.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
18.39
-79.06%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lagos: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Lagos
$417 65.2% $780
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Lagos
$154 42.9% $116
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Lagos
$98 59.4% $144
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Lagos
$161 26.4% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Lagos
$53 68.1% $113
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Lagos
$40 38.4% $25
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Lagos
$27 57.5% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Lisbon versus $704 in Lagos. 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 1261% 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 $51.0 in Lagos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $154 – making Lagos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇬 Lagos
🕒 Local time
15:56 3:56 PM
15:56 3:56 PM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
10,404,112
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,496 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Lagos 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Lagos

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 Lagos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Lagos?
Lisbon costs about 134% more than Lagos, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in Lagos?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,335 per month in Lisbon and $1,426 in Lagos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Lagos?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lagos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and in Lagos?
Kindergarten costs $677 per month in Lisbon and $659 in Lagos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Lagos?
Groceries cost about 75% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or in Lagos?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lagos, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Lisbon at $2,223. In Lagos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Lagos?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lagos costs $951 versus $2,223 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Lagos?
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.
Should I move to Lisbon or to Lagos?
If budget matters most, go with Lagos. 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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