Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Randburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Randburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,058 in Randburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,604 in Randburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,151 in Randburg.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 117% more expensive than in Randburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Randburg is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$11.16 R 184

45.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$42.44 R 700

49.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.65 R 76.7

121.94%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.22 R 36.65

27.48%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.06 R 17.50

116.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.88 R 14.47

79.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.49 R 41.06

36.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.83 R 46.67

42.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.14 R 18.88

-4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.07 R 17.61

63.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.57 R 25.86

12.10%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.47 R 40.77

28.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$7.64 R 126

72.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.71 R 77.7

69.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$6.54 R 108

137.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.61 R 26.53

47.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.47 R 24.27

16.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.54 R 25.35

30.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.66 R 27.41

46.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.32 R 21.81

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.41 R 23.25

43.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.05 R 17.37

82.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.87 R 14.43

-2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.00 R 49.52

119.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$5.29 R 87.3

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.56 R 25.74

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.87 R 30.81

58.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.69 R 27.97

34.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.14 R 18.82

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.10 R 18.07

-26.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$2.99 R 49.38

516.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.26 R 20.82

65.08%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$22.6K R 372.7K

53.52%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$24.3K R 401.2K

61.09%

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

$148 €130

$124 R 2,040

19.79%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$40.40 R 667

-49.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$41.76 R 689

-5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$18.18 R 300

163.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$4.29 R 70.9

333.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$7.39 R 122

24.76%

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

$616 €540

$204 R 3,372

201.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,313 R 71.2K

281.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$50.9 R 840

101.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$32.41 R 535

28.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$91.0 R 1,502

4.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$78.3 R 1,292

55.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$285 R 4,698

473.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$335 R 5,533

267.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$497 R 8,194

523.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$638 R 10.5K

218.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,894 R 31.3K

-15.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.69

-67.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Randburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $285 in Randburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Randburg pays 18% 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 $42.00 in Randburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $179 per month, with Randburg 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 Randburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Randburg differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,058 including rent). Randburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Randburg. 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 $285 in Randburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% 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 $1,058 in Randburg – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,058 in Randburg versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Randburg but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Randburg 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 Randburg 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 Randburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.