Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mahajanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mahajanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $377 in Mahajanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $706 in Mahajanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,034 in Mahajanga.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 505% more expensive than in Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Mahajanga is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$2.03 MGA 8,748

675.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$17.67 MGA 76.2K

259.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$0.68 MGA 2,948

327.94%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.98

$0.92 MGA 3,967

148.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.87 MGA 3,746

72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.02 MGA 4,413

249.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$1.52 MGA 6,547

160.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.04 MGA 4,486

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.64 MGA 2,747

175.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$0.60 MGA 2,580

183.33%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.96 MGA 8,463

65.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$6.64 MGA 28.6K

99.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$5.26 MGA 22.7K

46.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$3.37 MGA 14.5K

367.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$0.99 MGA 4,251

130.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$0.55 MGA 2,351

201.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.76 MGA 3,295

165.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$0.54 MGA 2,346

357.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.50 MGA 2,160

258.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.45 MGA 1,932

360.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.43 MGA 1,853

358.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.59 MGA 2,543

40.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$1.13 MGA 4,880

479.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$9.20 MGA 39.7K

-39.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$0.80 MGA 3,441

66.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.03 MGA 4,439

192.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.14 MGA 599

1521.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$8.85 MGA 38.2K

423.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.13 MGA 4,873

78.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K €30.3K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.6K €34.3K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 €128

$44.93 MGA 193.7K

229.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.52 €17.77

$6.77 MGA 29.2K

203.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$22.28 MGA 96.1K

77.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$17.41 MGA 75.1K

176.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$615 €532

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$330 MGA 1.4M

387.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$108 MGA 463.9K

1065.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$674 MGA 2.9M

355.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$439 MGA 1.9M

363.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $330 in Mahajanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Mahajanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $133 per month, with Mahajanga cheaper across the board.

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 Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mahajanga differ by about 505% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $377 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $566 in Mahajanga 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $330 in Mahajanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $377 in Mahajanga – a 505% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $377 in Mahajanga versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mahajanga but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mahajanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Mahajanga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mahajanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 505% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.