Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mossel Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mossel Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $994 in Mossel Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,590 in Mossel Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,185 in Mossel Bay.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 124% more expensive than Mossel Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Mossel Bay is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.81

$13.28 R 220

21.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.1

$44.99 R 745

43.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.86

$8.32 R 138

24.76%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.35 R 38.84

17.87%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.24 R 20.50

81.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$0.95 R 15.64

65.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$2.23 R 36.88

56.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.42

$2.81 R 46.58

42.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.04 R 17.16

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.04 R 17.29

67.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$2.13 R 35.21

-18.31%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.71

$2.92 R 48.25

8.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.47

$8.64 R 143

55.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.83

$4.73 R 78.3

68.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

$7.35 R 122

118.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.64 R 27.10

39.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.04 R 17.25

65.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.44 R 23.85

34.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$1.92 R 31.82

32.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

$1.89 R 31.34

-3.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$1.60 R 26.43

27.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.04 R 17.17

90.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.12 R 18.56

-24.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

$3.43 R 56.7

99.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.93

$5.28 R 87.4

9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.45 R 24.05

-5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.46 R 40.63

17.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.66 R 27.54

37.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

$1.10 R 18.28

270.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.10 R 18.27

-25.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.60

$4.13 R 68.3

342.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.26 R 20.92

59.52%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

$19.4K R 321.0K

81.84%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$19.8K R 327.1K

94.72%

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

$145 €124

$87.2 R 1,443

66.80%

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

$20.96 €17.90

$16.73 R 277

25.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.21

$39.94 R 661

0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.66

$19.61 R 325

148.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

$13.48 R 223

38.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.74

$6.81 R 113

33.04%

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

$607 €518

$118 R 1,951

414.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$1,547 R 25.6K

955.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$42.47 R 703

146.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

$21.41 R 354

91.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €79.9

$76.4 R 1,265

22.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$62.4 R 1,032

90.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,370

$463 R 7,662

246.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,055

$336 R 5,558

267.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,601

$958 R 15.9K

217.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,756

$627 R 10.4K

228.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

$613 R 10.2K

1156.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

$614 R 10.2K

594.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

$1,486 R 24.6K

6.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

12.12

-68.56%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mossel Bay: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $463 in Mossel Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $45.00 in Mossel Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $192 per month, with Mossel Bay cheaper across the board.

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 Mossel Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mossel Bay differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $994 including rent). Mossel Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $463 in Mossel Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $994 in Mossel Bay – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $994 in Mossel Bay versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mossel Bay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mossel Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Mossel 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.

Expats usually find Mossel Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.