Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Malabo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Malabo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $605 in Malabo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,254 in Malabo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,903 in Malabo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 265% more expensive than Malabo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Malabo is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

-6.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

21.36%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

-45.85%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.89 FCFA 505

151.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.90 FCFA 510

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

-59.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

-24.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

97.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

15.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

121.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.93 FCFA 525

107.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.23 FCFA 693

-35.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

42.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.44 FCFA 814

-4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.33 FCFA 753

78.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

71.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.91 FCFA 513

371.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.80 FCFA 452

2.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

103.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

3.87%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

34.32%

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

128.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

36.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

27.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

65.11%

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$359 FCFA 202.2K

4375.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

288.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$132 FCFA 74.2K

-68.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

33.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$266 FCFA 150.0K

512.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$123 FCFA 69.4K

920.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$956 FCFA 539.2K

216.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$522 FCFA 294.3K

287.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$847 FCFA 477.4K

821.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$634 FCFA 357.8K

573.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.8

-43.97%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malabo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $266 in Malabo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $69.0 in Malabo. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $147, with Malabo 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 Malabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Malabo differ by about 265% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $605 including rent). Malabo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $907 in Malabo 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $266 in Malabo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $605 in Malabo – a 265% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $605 in Malabo versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Malabo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Malabo 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 Malabo 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 Malabo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 265% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.