Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ndola Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ndola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $751 in Ndola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,768 in Ndola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,784 in Ndola.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 208% more expensive than in Ndola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Ndola is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$5.75 ZMW 110

200.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$31.73 ZMW 608

99.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

122.03%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

10.38%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

337.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

604.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

178.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

44.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

-28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

66.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

-28.97%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

144.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$10.73 ZMW 205

26.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$6.47 ZMW 124

29.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$6.81 ZMW 130

167.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

44.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

-30.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

-50.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

59.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

-26.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

7.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

117.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$10.45 ZMW 200

-45.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

-9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

-8.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

220.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

60.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

-26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

238.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

57.82%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

348.80%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

52.51%

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

$170 €147

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

101.36%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$10.89 ZMW 209

77.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

-41.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$6.17 ZMW 118

60.78%

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

$717 €617

$143 ZMW 2,732

402.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

4.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$24.07 ZMW 461

335.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$16.45 ZMW 315

185.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$47.47 ZMW 909

117.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

63.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$181 ZMW 3,474

824.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$157 ZMW 3,009

708.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$388 ZMW 7,439

668.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

31.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$591 ZMW 11.3K

167.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-86.93%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $181 in Ndola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 168% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $32.00 in Ndola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $233 per month, with Ndola 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 Ndola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Ndola differ by about 208% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $751 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 168% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $181 in Ndola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $751 in Ndola – a 208% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $751 in Ndola versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ndola but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ndola 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 Ndola 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 Ndola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 208% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.