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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $685 in Malabo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,146 in Malabo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,606 in Malabo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 235% more expensive than in Malabo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Malabo is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$8.64 FCFA 4,935

103.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$70.8 FCFA 40.4K

-11.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$8.89 FCFA 5,081

30.26%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.70 FCFA 2,684

-34.04%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.84 FCFA 479

196.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.46 FCFA 261

278.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.74 FCFA 994

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.76 FCFA 1,578

-58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.79 FCFA 1,024

-16.20%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.91 FCFA 2,233

1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$6.77 FCFA 3,869

96.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.03 FCFA 3,446

32.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$7.17 FCFA 4,099

151.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.54 FCFA 1,453

-7.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.71 FCFA 978

2.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$4.64 FCFA 2,649

53.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.38 FCFA 790

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.86 FCFA 494

147.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.71 FCFA 976

38.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$26.14 FCFA 14.9K

78.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.85 FCFA 483

380.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.91 FCFA 520

25.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$8.86 FCFA 5,065

92.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$32.4K FCFA 18.5M

5.34%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$29.3K FCFA 16.7M

41.29%

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

$169 €147

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

$19.33 €16.85

$17.66 FCFA 10.1K

9.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$17.40 FCFA 9,945

92.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$34.75 FCFA 19.9K

40.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$14.79 FCFA 8,449

31.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$5.40 FCFA 3,086

77.22%

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

$696 €607

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$347 FCFA 198.1K

4905.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$235 FCFA 134.1K

431.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$347 FCFA 198.5K

753.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$285 FCFA 162.8K

619.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$854 FCFA 488.2K

816.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$644 FCFA 368.1K

592.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.8

-44.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Malabo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $71.0 in Malabo. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $154, 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 235% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $685 including rent). Malabo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $1,028 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $685 in Malabo – a 235% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $685 in Malabo versus $2,296 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 235% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.