Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Yaounde

For one person, living is cheaper in Yaounde: $704 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Yaounde, Cameroon
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Yaounde
🇨🇲 Cameroon
$704
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Yaounde

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 Yaounde actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $704 in Yaounde.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Yaounde $704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $1,169 in Yaounde.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Yaounde $1,169

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $1,635 in Yaounde.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Yaounde $1,635

Living in Lisbon is roughly 213% more expensive than in Yaounde, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 63% above, Yaounde is 48% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.01
$3.37 FCFA 1,969
400.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.4
$50.9 FCFA 29.7K
19.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.78
$5.15 FCFA 3,004
113.20%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.72
$1.94 FCFA 1,133
57.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.53 FCFA 891
49.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$0.51 FCFA 296
229.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.06
$1.21 FCFA 706
184.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.48
$1.66 FCFA 969
135.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$3.69 FCFA 2,152
-68.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.08 FCFA 633
75.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.32 FCFA 770
13.64%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$1.94 FCFA 1,134
112.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.58
$13.50 FCFA 7,883
-3.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.16
$5.82 FCFA 3,397
38.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.93
$6.18 FCFA 3,605
189.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$5.01 FCFA 2,925
-54.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.97 FCFA 1,150
-11.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$2.00 FCFA 1,170
-9.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$1.36 FCFA 796
97.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.58 FCFA 921
12.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$1.46 FCFA 853
32.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.12 FCFA 656
30.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.61 FCFA 355
24.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.93
$1.73 FCFA 1,009
284.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.02
$8.64 FCFA 5,043
-34.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.32 FCFA 770
-2.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$1.94 FCFA 1,130
10.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.05
$0.53 FCFA 310
333.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.19
$17.20 FCFA 10.0K
155.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.55
$0.62 FCFA 361
541.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$0.44 FCFA 257
45.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.85
$6.08 FCFA 3,551
211.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.40 FCFA 815
62.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.7K
$29.8K FCFA 17.4M
12.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.3K
$21.6K FCFA 12.6M
77.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$77.8 FCFA 45.4K
103.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.62
$22.10 FCFA 12.9K
-20.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.77
$51.5 FCFA 30.1K
-39.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.75
$22.99 FCFA 13.4K
94.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.90
$7.21 FCFA 4,209
163.25%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.53
$8.59 FCFA 5,012
11.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €600
$512 FCFA 298.9K
31.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$2,315 FCFA 1.4M
709.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.0
$17.19 FCFA 10.0K
494.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.87
$27.31 FCFA 15.9K
68.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.0
$25.17 FCFA 14.7K
306.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$55.2 FCFA 32.2K
121.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,461
$140 FCFA 81.5K
1074.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,057
$103 FCFA 60.3K
1049.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,515
$406 FCFA 236.8K
596.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,797
$208 FCFA 121.3K
871.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,977
$839 FCFA 489.9K
833.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,186
$590 FCFA 344.2K
697.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Yaounde
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,502
$138 FCFA 80.4K
1124.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
13
-70.62%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Yaounde
$103 91.3% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Yaounde
$248 9.7% $27
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Yaounde
$83 66.1% $162
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Yaounde
$151 26.8% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Yaounde
$56 66.5% $111
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Yaounde
$40 37.1% $24
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Yaounde
$22 63.3% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $140 in Yaounde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays about 12 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Lisbon vs $51 in Yaounde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $248 per month, with Yaounde cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇲 Yaounde
🕒 Local time
04:39 4:39 AM
05:39 5:39 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
1,817,524 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 584 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 655 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Yaounde 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Yaounde

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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Yaounde?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $704 in Yaounde, so Yaounde is about 68% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Yaounde?
Average pay in Lisbon is about 12 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Yaounde?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $140 in Yaounde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Yaounde?
Childcare runs $674 in Lisbon versus $512 in Yaounde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $704 in Yaounde versus $2,206 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yaounde but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Yaounde the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Yaounde?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Yaounde?
Expats usually find Yaounde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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