Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Randburg and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Randburg: $1,061 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Randburg, South Africa
Lisbon, Portugal
Randburg
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,061
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Randburg 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 Randburg and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,061 in Randburg versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Randburg $1,061
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,716 in Randburg versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Randburg $1,716
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,370 in Randburg versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Randburg $2,370
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Randburg costs roughly 52% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Randburg is 22% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.36 R 173
$16.65 €14.92
-37.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.80 R 748
$61.7 €55.3
-27.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.29 R 88.2
$11.36 €10.18
-53.43%
Cappuccino
$2.49 R 41.50
$2.97 €2.66
-16.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 R 21.27
$2.29 €2.05
-44.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 R 15.23
$1.74 €1.56
-47.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 R 42.98
$3.40 €3.05
-24.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 R 54.9
$3.31 €2.97
-0.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 R 21.25
$1.16 €1.04
9.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.14 R 19.05
$1.91 €1.71
-40.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 R 28.40
$1.51 €1.36
12.58%
Eggs
$2.74 R 45.81
$4.02 €3.60
-31.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.57 R 143
$12.94 €11.59
-33.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.62 R 93.8
$7.77 €6.97
-27.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.17 R 120
$17.76 €15.92
-59.63%
Apples (1kg)
$1.98 R 33.10
$2.30 €2.06
-13.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 R 26.65
$1.73 €1.55
-7.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.81 R 30.20
$1.86 €1.66
-2.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 R 26.90
$2.59 €2.32
-37.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.69 R 28.24
$1.82 €1.63
-7.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 R 27.79
$1.97 €1.76
-15.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 R 19.27
$1.47 €1.32
-21.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 R 21.54
$0.72 €0.65
79.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.42 R 57.0
$6.58 €5.90
-48.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.96 R 82.7
$5.61 €5.02
-11.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 R 25.26
$1.36 €1.22
11.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 R 35.98
$2.14 €1.91
0.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.33 €2.09
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.04
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.29 R 4.83
$3.85 €3.45
-92.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 R 15.36
$1.07 €0.96
-14.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.52 R 242
$16.46 €14.75
-11.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 R 24.64
$2.20 €1.97
-32.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K R 593.7K
$34.2K €30.6K
4.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K R 578.7K
$38.7K €34.7K
-10.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 R 2,533
$161 €144
-5.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.96 R 650
$18.41 €16.50
111.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.21 R 621
$32.74 €29.34
13.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.38 R 340
$44.55 €39.92
-54.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.46 R 74.5
$19.10 €17.11
-76.65%
Cinema Ticket
$7.35 R 123
$9.60 €8.60
-23.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$262 R 4,373
$668 €598
-60.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,433 R 90.7K
$17.6K €15.8K
-69.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 R 898
$102 €91.4
-47.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.23 R 755
$44.46 €39.85
1.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 R 1,881
$98.5 €88.3
14.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.7 R 1,380
$124 €111
-33.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$313 R 5,230
$1,608 €1,441
-80.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$302 R 5,038
$1,190 €1,066
-74.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$616 R 10.3K
$2,812 €2,520
-78.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$713 R 11.9K
$2,013 €1,804
-64.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$608 R 10.2K
$7,839 €7,025
-92.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$764 R 12.8K
$4,576 €4,100
-83.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Randburg
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,885 R 31.5K
$1,575 €1,411
19.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
3.85
194.55%

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

Last update for Randburg: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Randburg
$302
Lisbon
$1.2K 294% $888
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Randburg
$228
Lisbon
$212 6.8% $16
Groceries & Markets
Randburg
$202
Lisbon
$272 34.6% $70
Eating Out
Randburg
$157
Lisbon
$243 54.8% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Randburg
$132
Lisbon
$166 25.2% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Randburg
$35
Lisbon
$64 81.7% $29
Getting Around
Randburg
$4.9 *
Lisbon
$63 1192% $58

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Randburg and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Randburg pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45 in Randburg vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $272 per month, with Randburg cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Randburg
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
04:33 4:33 AM
02:33 2:33 AM
2 h behind Randburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
335,000
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 16.69 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.99 USD). 1 EUR = 18.64 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.37 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Randburg Lisbon 8,180 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Randburg
  • 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
Randburg vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Randburg and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,061 in Randburg and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Randburg is about 52% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Randburg or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 20% higher in Randburg, 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 Randburg and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $313 in Randburg versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Randburg or Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $1,061 per month in Randburg versus $2,210 in Lisbon – Randburg is about 52% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Randburg is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Randburg 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.

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