Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Serowe

For one person, living is cheaper in Serowe: $80.5 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $25,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Serowe, Botswana
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Serowe
🇧🇼 Botswana
$80.5
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Serowe

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Serowe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $81 in Serowe.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Serowe $81

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $141 in Serowe.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Serowe $141

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $201 in Serowe.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Serowe $201

Living in Lisbon is roughly 2645% more expensive than in Serowe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Serowe is 94% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.41 P 19.03
-17.73%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$1.06 P 14.29
80.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
-
-
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$1.73 P 23.30
132.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$4.07 P 54.9
336.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$1.31 P 17.72
75.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.03 P 13.86
67.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$1.63 P 22.05
58.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.49 P 20.03
22.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.39 P 18.71
41.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.71 P 9.64
1.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$108 P 1,451
520.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$1,716 P 23.2K
926.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Serowe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
0
-

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Serowe: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Serowe
–
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Serowe
–
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Serowe
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Serowe
–
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Serowe
–
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Serowe
–
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Serowe
–
Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇧🇼 Serowe
🕒 Local time
22:04 10:04 PM
00:04 12:04 AM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
47,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 13.49 BWP (100 BWP = 7.41 USD). 1 EUR = 15.02 BWP (100 BWP = 6.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Serowe 7,750 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Serowe

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Serowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Serowe?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $81 in Serowe, so Serowe is about 96% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Serowe?
You’d need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $121 in Serowe to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Serowe?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $108 in Serowe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Serowe?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $81 in Serowe – Serowe is about 96% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $800 per month?
At $81 in Serowe versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $800 budget is realistic in Serowe but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Serowe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Serowe?
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.
Is Lisbon or Serowe safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Serowe are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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