Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroua and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Maroua: $352 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $22,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Maroua
🇨🇲 Cameroon
$352
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maroua and in Lisbon

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $352 in Maroua versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Maroua $352
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $522 in Maroua versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Maroua $522
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $693 in Maroua versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Maroua $693
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Maroua costs roughly 84% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maroua is 74% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$16.50 €14.67
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$61.3 €54.5
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$11.27 €10.03
-
Cappuccino
-
$3.06 €2.72
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.26 €2.01
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.73 €1.54
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.39 €3.02
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.40 €3.02
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 FCFA 970
$1.12 €1.00
48.21%
White Bread (500g)
$0.87 FCFA 505
$1.86 €1.65
-53.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.95 FCFA 1,723
$1.53 €1.36
92.81%
Eggs
$5.80 FCFA 3,380
$3.96 €3.53
46.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.21 FCFA 3,040
$12.76 €11.35
-59.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.99 FCFA 2,912
$7.90 €7.02
-36.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.33 FCFA 1,941
$16.97 €15.09
-80.38%
Apples (1kg)
$1.75 FCFA 1,018
$2.27 €2.02
-22.91%
Banana (1kg)
$0.83 FCFA 482
$1.75 €1.55
-52.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.88 FCFA 511
$1.85 €1.64
-52.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 FCFA 967
$2.57 €2.28
-35.41%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 FCFA 1,458
$1.86 €1.65
34.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 FCFA 1,009
$2.02 €1.80
-14.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.44 €1.28
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 FCFA 506
$0.82 €0.73
6.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$6.56 €5.83
-
Wine (Bottle)
$11.00 FCFA 6,416
$5.62 €5.00
95.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 FCFA 480
$1.28 €1.14
-35.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 FCFA 1,016
$2.07 €1.84
-15.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.35 €2.09
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.18 €39.30
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.99 €3.55
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.09 €0.97
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.64 €14.81
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$2.28 €2.03
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$33.7K €30.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$39.3K €35.0K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.0 FCFA 30.3K
$167 €149
-68.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.74 FCFA 5,095
$18.80 €16.72
-53.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$33.09 €29.43
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.16 FCFA 10.0K
$46.01 €40.93
-62.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$1.71 FCFA 999
$19.19 €17.07
-91.09%
Cinema Ticket
-
$9.84 €8.75
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$677 €602
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.9K €15.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$101 €90.1
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$45.76 €40.70
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$100.0 €88.9
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$123 €109
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,614 €1,436
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$86.4 FCFA 50.4K
$1,197 €1,065
-92.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,862 €2,545
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$155 FCFA 90.4K
$1,990 €1,770
-92.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,577 €6,740
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,307 €3,831
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maroua
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,588 €1,412
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.85
-

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

Last update for Maroua: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Maroua
–
Lisbon
$1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Maroua
–
Lisbon
$269
Eating Out
Maroua
–
Lisbon
$242
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maroua
–
Lisbon
$219
Clothing & Footwear
Maroua
–
Lisbon
$166
Sport & Entertainment
Maroua
–
Lisbon
$66
Getting Around
Maroua
–
Lisbon
$63
Good to know
🇨🇲 Maroua
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
00:08 12:08 AM
00:08 12:08 AM
Same time as Maroua
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,119,000
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 583 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maroua Lisbon 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Maroua
  • Lisbon

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
Maroua vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Maroua and in Lisbon?
Maroua and Lisbon differ by about 532% in total monthly costs ($352 vs $2,223 including rent). Maroua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Maroua compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $528 in Maroua and $3,335 in Lisbon 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Maroua or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $352 per month in Maroua versus $2,223 in Lisbon – a 532% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $352 in Maroua versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maroua but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Maroua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Maroua and Lisbon?
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 Maroua or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Maroua and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Maroua or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Maroua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 532% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Maroua vs other spots: cost of living compared

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