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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,831 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,484 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,138 in Mahe.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 25% more expensive than in Mahe, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Mahe 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$15.62 SCR 224

3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$70.1 SCR 1,004

-9.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$7.82 SCR 112

31.97%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.34 SCR 62.3

-34.79%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.29 SCR 32.85

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.75 SCR 25.10

-9.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$8.43 SCR 121

-59.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.26 SCR 75.3

-23.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.53 SCR 21.95

-28.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.04 SCR 14.87

68.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.77 SCR 25.31

-0.56%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.09 SCR 58.6

-22.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$15.62 SCR 224

-15.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$7.82 SCR 112

1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$12.50 SCR 179

24.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.02 SCR 28.94

17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.24 SCR 32.15

-10.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$5.08 SCR 72.8

-52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.99 SCR 14.24

77.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.94 SCR 13.44

115.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.03 SCR 14.71

86.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$11.97 SCR 172

-45.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.02 SCR 29.01

-34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.05 SCR 29.36

44.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.85 SCR 12.18

168.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$24.36 SCR 349

87.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$10.51 SCR 151

-59.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$3.17 SCR 45.40

-74.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$10.43 SCR 149

76.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.57 SCR 22.42

32.48%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

$83.0 SCR 1,189

78.48%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$20.78 SCR 298

-1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$159 SCR 2,276

-75.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$51.9 SCR 744

-7.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$6.28 SCR 90.0

46.82%

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

$616 €540

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$27.08 SCR 388

279.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$10.80 SCR 155

286.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$43.76 SCR 627

116.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$55.5 SCR 794

120.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$844 SCR 12.1K

93.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$862 SCR 12.3K

43.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,717 SCR 24.6K

80.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,038 SCR 14.9K

95.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$886 SCR 12.7K

81.49%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Mahe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $844 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 81% 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 $70.0 in Mahe. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $240, 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 25% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,831 including rent). Mahe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 81% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $844 in Mahe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $1,831 in Mahe – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,831 in Mahe versus $2,291 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 25% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.