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: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $380 in Mahajanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $708 in Mahajanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,036 in Mahajanga.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 484% more expensive than in Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Mahajanga is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$1.99 MGA 8,375

692.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$17.91 MGA 75.4K

248.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$0.69 MGA 2,920

301.45%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$0.86 MGA 3,628

165.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.87 MGA 3,679

78.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$0.98 MGA 4,112

262.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.51 MGA 6,348

163.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.06 MGA 4,462

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.59 MGA 2,480

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.59 MGA 2,491

200.00%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$1.90 MGA 8,006

64.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$6.57 MGA 27.7K

103.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$5.29 MGA 22.3K

51.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$3.38 MGA 14.2K

371.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.00 MGA 4,211

128.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$0.55 MGA 2,302

198.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.73 MGA 3,067

171.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$0.54 MGA 2,287

353.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.46 MGA 1,948

284.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.44 MGA 1,871

347.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.39 MGA 1,661

405.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.63 MGA 2,657

26.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$1.10 MGA 4,612

494.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$9.33 MGA 39.3K

-38.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$0.78 MGA 3,266

69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$1.02 MGA 4,274

193.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$0.12 MGA 512

1850.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

$8.95 MGA 37.7K

412.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.14 MGA 4,799

81.58%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

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

$38.6K €33.7K

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

$151 €132

$43.57 MGA 183.4K

246.87%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$6.68 MGA 28.1K

213.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$22.54 MGA 94.9K

75.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$17.64 MGA 74.3K

174.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

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

$610 €532

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$332 MGA 1.4M

382.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$110 MGA 464.9K

1021.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$663 MGA 2.8M

355.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$445 MGA 1.9M

363.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $332 in Mahajanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Mahajanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 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 484% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $380 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $569 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $332 in Mahajanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $380 in Mahajanga – a 484% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $380 in Mahajanga versus $2,217 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 484% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.