Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mahe Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mahe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,792 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $2,638 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $3,484 in Mahe.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 29% more expensive than in Mahe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Mahe 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$18.05 SCR 259

-4.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$109 SCR 1,567

-42.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$5.86 SCR 83.9

94.37%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$6.64 SCR 95.1

-51.96%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.63 SCR 23.38

50.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$13.03 SCR 187

-72.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$9.26 SCR 133

-63.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.65 SCR 23.66

-24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.10 SCR 15.72

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.82 SCR 26.07

-16.48%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$4.20 SCR 60.2

-3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$16.27 SCR 233

-16.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$8.26 SCR 118

1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$12.94 SCR 185

41.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.16 SCR 30.94

6.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.35 SCR 33.69

-20.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$6.37 SCR 91.2

-58.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.11 SCR 15.84

72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.08 SCR 15.41

93.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.12 SCR 16.05

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$14.51 SCR 208

-53.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.20 SCR 31.47

0.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.81 SCR 11.66

196.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$36.92 SCR 529

26.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$14.57 SCR 209

21.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.55 SCR 22.18

49.68%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.7K

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

$170 €147

$50.3 SCR 720

238.97%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$21.91 SCR 314

-11.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$108 SCR 1,541

-68.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$55.2 SCR 790

-12.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$6.62 SCR 94.8

49.85%

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$31.48 SCR 451

232.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$12.53 SCR 180

274.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$50.6 SCR 724

104.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$62.7 SCR 898

97.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$864 SCR 12.4K

94.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$883 SCR 12.6K

43.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$1,792 SCR 25.7K

66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$1,073 SCR 15.4K

85.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$885 SCR 12.7K

78.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mahe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $864 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 79% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $109 in Mahe. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $247, with Mahe cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mahe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mahe differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,792 including rent). Mahe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 79% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $864 in Mahe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $1,792 in Mahe – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,792 in Mahe versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mahe but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mahe 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 Mahe 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 Mahe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.