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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $447 in Benin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $812 in Benin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,177 in Benin.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 410% more expensive than in Benin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Benin is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$2.65 ₦3,612

494.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$49.12 ₦67.0K

29.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$5.45 ₦7,432

91.74%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.18 ₦2,971

33.49%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.34 ₦463

573.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.22 ₦301

581.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$0.86 ₦1,168

313.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$1.44 ₦1,969

175.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.33 ₦3,172

-53.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.21 ₦1,645

45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.22 ₦3,023

-23.42%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.75 ₦2,385

85.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$6.19 ₦8,446

114.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$4.26 ₦5,818

80.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$5.51 ₦7,518

186.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.58 ₦4,881

-36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.02 ₦2,755

-17.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.21 ₦3,010

-8.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.41 ₦3,294

2.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$2.32 ₦3,161

-22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.93 ₦2,630

7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.92 ₦2,615

2.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.38 ₦520

118.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$1.24 ₦1,697

428.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$2.51 ₦3,419

121.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$0.69 ₦936

92.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$0.95 ₦1,299

216.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$1.20 ₦1,637

252.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.18 ₦2,975

-61.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$4.74 ₦6,461

297.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.74 ₦1,007

172.97%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$20.0K ₦27.2M

75.14%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$21.0K ₦28.6M

89.09%

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

$148 €128

$42.23 ₦57.6K

250.30%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$10.28 ₦14.0K

99.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$34.44 ₦47.0K

14.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.31 ₦8,612

44.22%

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

$615 €532

$83.7 ₦114.1K

634.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$2,255 ₦3.1M

622.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$19.41 ₦26.5K

423.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$24.78 ₦33.8K

69.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$65.4 ₦89.2K

41.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$57.1 ₦77.9K

113.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$110 ₦149.9K

1357.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.33

-76.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Benin: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1358% 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 $49.00 in Benin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $192 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 410% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $447 including rent). Benin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1358% 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 39% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $447 in Benin – a 410% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $447 in Benin versus $2,280 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 410% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.