Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Benin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Benin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $445 in Benin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $755 in Benin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,065 in Benin.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 416% more expensive than in Benin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Benin is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$1.37 ₦1,823

1183.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$49.55 ₦65.8K

26.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$5.60 ₦7,443

106.79%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.89 ₦3,842

7.27%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.27 ₦356

822.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.17 ₦228

923.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$0.97 ₦1,286

258.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$0.98 ₦1,298

251.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$3.23 ₦4,294

-64.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.78 ₦1,036

144.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.26 ₦1,671

19.05%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.28 ₦3,030

74.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$3.56 ₦4,729

273.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$4.01 ₦5,325

99.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$4.56 ₦6,057

295.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.72 ₦2,291

36.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.28 ₦1,701

36.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.11 ₦1,472

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.32 ₦1,760

93.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.33 ₦1,772

38.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.35 ₦1,797

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.86 ₦1,140

73.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.37 ₦489

121.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$0.60 ₦791

1083.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$2.57 ₦3,415

129.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$0.50 ₦662

162.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.49 ₦657

334.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.69 ₦920

491.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.91 ₦1,212

25.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$2.21 ₦2,931

673.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.72 ₦952

220.83%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$11.3K ₦15.0M

203.22%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$13.5K ₦17.9M

206.41%

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

$169 €147

$111 ₦146.9K

52.38%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$16.20 ₦21.5K

19.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$33.13 ₦44.0K

1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$4.68 ₦6,222

104.49%

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

$696 €606

$662 ₦879.2K

5.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$19.9K ₦26.4M

-12.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$14.74 ₦19.6K

614.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$17.95 ₦23.8K

166.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$35.93 ₦47.7K

179.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$47.96 ₦63.7K

159.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$115 ₦152.2K

1324.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

18.05

-79.06%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Benin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1324% 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 $50.0 in Benin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $149 per month, with Benin 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 Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Benin differ by about 416% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $445 including rent). Benin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1324% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $445 in Benin – a 416% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $445 in Benin versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Benin but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Benin 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 Benin 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 Benin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 416% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.