Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Antananarivo

For one person, living is cheaper in Antananarivo: $650 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Antananarivo
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$650
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Antananarivo

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

A single person spends $2,223 per month in Lisbon vs $650 in Antananarivo, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Antananarivo $650

A couple spends around $3,271 per month in Lisbon vs $1,004 in Antananarivo, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Antananarivo $1,004

A family of three spends $4,319 per month in Lisbon vs $1,358 in Antananarivo, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Antananarivo $1,358

Lisbon costs about 242% more than Antananarivo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Antananarivo is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$2.68 MGA 12.2K
515.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$20.32 MGA 92.7K
201.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$5.40 MGA 24.6K
108.70%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$1.59 MGA 7,251
92.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$0.80 MGA 3,647
182.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.45 MGA 2,033
284.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$0.98 MGA 4,488
245.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$2.24 MGA 10.2K
51.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.92 MGA 4,197
21.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.03 MGA 4,700
80.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$0.75 MGA 3,435
104.00%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$2.07 MGA 9,435
91.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$8.20 MGA 37.4K
55.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$4.32 MGA 19.7K
82.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$4.78 MGA 21.8K
255.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.08 MGA 4,924
110.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$0.57 MGA 2,580
207.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.04 MGA 4,749
77.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$0.86 MGA 3,922
198.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$0.59 MGA 2,696
215.25%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$0.97 MGA 4,438
108.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$0.32 MGA 1,441
350.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$0.66 MGA 3,013
24.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$1.57 MGA 7,147
317.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$4.98 MGA 22.7K
12.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.01 MGA 4,628
26.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$1.84 MGA 8,410
12.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.13 MGA 605
1707.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$3.33 MGA 15.2K
19.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$2.00 MGA 9,126
-45.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$4.34 MGA 19.8K
283.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.13 MGA 5,140
101.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$11.8K MGA 54.0M
184.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$24.7K MGA 112.7M
59.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$72.9 MGA 332.5K
129.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$16.41 MGA 74.9K
14.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$57.0 MGA 260.1K
-41.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$28.95 MGA 132.1K
58.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$7.20 MGA 32.8K
166.53%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$5.68 MGA 25.9K
73.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$24.15 MGA 110.2K
2704.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$14.8K MGA 67.3M
14.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$28.92 MGA 131.9K
250.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$27.29 MGA 124.5K
67.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$76.6 MGA 349.4K
30.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$67.8 MGA 309.4K
81.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$321 MGA 1.5M
403.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$148 MGA 674.2K
709.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$725 MGA 3.3M
294.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$317 MGA 1.4M
528.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$650 MGA 3.0M
1065.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$557 MGA 2.5M
673.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Antananarivo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$132 MGA 600.8K
1105.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
15.75
-75.56%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Antananarivo
$148 87.7% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Antananarivo
$140 48% $129
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Antananarivo
$71 70.7% $171
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Antananarivo
$146 33.3% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Antananarivo
$90 45.7% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Antananarivo
$40 38.6% $25
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Antananarivo
$14 * 78% $49

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Lisbon versus $321 in Antananarivo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1105% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Lisbon versus $20.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $140 – making Antananarivo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇬 Antananarivo
🕒 Local time
20:36 8:36 PM
22:36 10:36 PM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
1,274,225 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Antananarivo 8,700 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Antananarivo

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 Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Antananarivo cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 242%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,335 per month in Lisbon and $975 in Antananarivo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Antananarivo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Antananarivo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,223 in Lisbon and $650 in Antananarivo. That's a gap of about 242%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $677 per month in Lisbon and $24.15 in Antananarivo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Antananarivo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Antananarivo, where all-in costs run around $650, than in Lisbon at $2,223. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lisbon or Antananarivo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Antananarivo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Antananarivo?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Antananarivo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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