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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $376 in Mahajanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $713 in Mahajanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,050 in Mahajanga.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 493% more expensive than 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

$16.17 €13.84

$1.98 MGA 8,209

716.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$17.88 MGA 74.2K

261.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$0.66 MGA 2,730

319.70%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.88 MGA 3,632

155.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.92 MGA 3,809

70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.03 MGA 4,272

238.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$1.60 MGA 6,623

150.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.05 MGA 4,341

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.59 MGA 2,466

194.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.55 MGA 2,298

216.36%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.93 MGA 8,017

64.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

96.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

51.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

386.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.94 MGA 3,900

142.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.54 MGA 2,232

218.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$0.78 MGA 3,222

148.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$0.51 MGA 2,100

398.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.49 MGA 2,035

273.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.45 MGA 1,856

353.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.39 MGA 1,623

407.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.62 MGA 2,592

37.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$1.14 MGA 4,736

500.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

-39.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.84 MGA 3,466

63.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.03 MGA 4,260

181.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.13 MGA 521

1653.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$8.86 MGA 36.8K

428.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.13 MGA 4,673

77.88%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

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

$38.5K €32.9K

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

$145 €124

$45.23 MGA 187.6K

221.47%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

219.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$21.83 MGA 90.6K

83.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$17.68 MGA 73.3K

175.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

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

$607 €519

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$330 MGA 1.4M

385.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$110 MGA 455.0K

1026.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$660 MGA 2.7M

361.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$441 MGA 1.8M

366.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $330 in Mahajanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Mahajanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 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 493% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $376 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $564 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: $1,604 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 103% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $376 in Mahajanga – a 493% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $376 in Mahajanga versus $2,227 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 493% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.