Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Port Shepstone Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Port Shepstone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $924 in Port Shepstone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,416 in Port Shepstone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,909 in Port Shepstone.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 148% more expensive than in Port Shepstone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Port Shepstone is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$7.37 R 122

119.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$27.63 R 456

129.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$5.13 R 84.7

101.17%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.94 R 31.98

45.88%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.88 R 14.56

160.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.72 R 11.84

119.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.98 R 32.70

71.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.20 R 36.35

83.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.81 R 13.32

34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.61 R 10.03

186.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.10 R 18.10

60.00%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.37 R 22.56

131.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$6.65 R 110

98.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.41 R 56.3

133.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$6.15 R 101

152.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.14 R 18.78

107.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.68 R 11.27

151.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.58 R 9.60

246.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.36 R 22.50

78.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.58 R 9.56

203.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.22 R 20.13

66.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.88 R 14.53

118.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.59 R 9.67

44.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.14 R 51.9

109.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$4.86 R 80.1

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.39 R 22.89

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.69 R 27.91

75.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.63 R 26.95

39.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.72 R 28.32

145.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.63 R 10.33

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$6.54 R 108

181.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.29 R 21.32

61.24%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$19.8K R 327.4K

74.77%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$23.7K R 391.7K

64.98%

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

$148 €130

$112 R 1,843

32.58%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$17.11 R 282

19.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$33.84 R 559

16.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$28.93 R 477

65.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$6.70 R 111

37.61%

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

$616 €540

$204 R 3,365

202.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,591 R 75.8K

258.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$41.42 R 684

147.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$30.03 R 496

38.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$92.8 R 1,532

2.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$72.0 R 1,188

69.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$357 R 5,897

356.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$328 R 5,412

275.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$690 R 11.4K

348.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$697 R 11.5K

191.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$877 R 14.5K

792.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$709 R 11.7K

519.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$3,038 R 50.1K

-47.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

12.01

-68.28%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Port Shepstone: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $357 in Port Shepstone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Shepstone pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $28.00 in Port Shepstone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $133 per month, with Port Shepstone 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 Port Shepstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Port Shepstone differ by about 148% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $924 including rent). Port Shepstone is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Port Shepstone. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $357 in Port Shepstone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $924 in Port Shepstone – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $924 in Port Shepstone versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Shepstone but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Port Shepstone 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 Port Shepstone 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 Port Shepstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.