Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rustenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rustenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $800 in Rustenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,341 in Rustenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,882 in Rustenburg.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 187% more expensive than in Rustenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Rustenburg is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$6.30 R 103

179.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$47.97 R 786

31.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$6.42 R 105

80.37%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.12 R 34.68

46.23%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.90 R 14.71

176.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.48 R 7.83

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.59 R 25.97

118.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.21 R 36.15

55.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.17 R 19.18

-1.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.01 R 16.59

89.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.80 R 29.52

-16.67%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.77 R 45.37

43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$7.62 R 125

74.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.92 R 80.6

62.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$6.32 R 104

185.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.88 R 30.72

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.66 R 27.23

5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.79 R 29.39

3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.14 R 18.70

123.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.36 R 22.25

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.11 R 18.20

89.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.30 R 21.27

14.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.96 R 15.67

-14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.22 R 52.7

120.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$6.09 R 99.7

-2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.63 R 10.37

107.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.91 R 14.89

134.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.94 R 15.42

334.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.95 R 15.56

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$15.05 R 247

13.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.46 R 23.95

58.22%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$29.5K R 482.5K

15.84%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$27.3K R 447.2K

51.55%

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

$169 €147

$76.2 R 1,249

121.08%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$13.75 R 225

40.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$37.01 R 606

-9.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$21.91 R 359

122.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$6.05 R 99.2

221.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$4.96 R 81.3

92.94%

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

$696 €607

$112 R 1,831

522.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,636 R 92.3K

207.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$43.42 R 711

142.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$47.21 R 773

1.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$110 R 1,808

-8.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$55.9 R 916

122.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$333 R 5,461

398.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$250 R 4,090

399.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$750 R 12.3K

295.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$520 R 8,525

293.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$1,117 R 18.3K

46.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

9.9

-61.82%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $333 in Rustenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 46% 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 $48.00 in Rustenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $179 per month, with Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rustenburg differ by about 187% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $800 including rent). Rustenburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $333 in Rustenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% 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 $800 in Rustenburg – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $800 in Rustenburg versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rustenburg but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 187% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.