Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Manakara Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Manakara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $389 in Manakara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $583 in Manakara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $776 in Manakara.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 468% more expensive than Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Manakara is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.16 MGA 9,041

636.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$14.90 MGA 62.5K

334.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$3.53 MGA 14.8K

197.73%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.19 MGA 5,009

141.18%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.61 MGA 2,571

267.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.55 MGA 2,286

172.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.19 MGA 5,001

193.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.42 MGA 5,963

173.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.82 MGA 7,611

-37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.98 MGA 4,123

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.73 MGA 3,075

141.10%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.23 MGA 9,330

44.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.32 MGA 26.5K

113.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

135.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$3.52 MGA 14.8K

350.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.95 MGA 3,977

143.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.73 MGA 3,075

132.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.35 MGA 1,453

474.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.73 MGA 3,064

236.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.54 MGA 2,266

240.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.76 MGA 3,191

163.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.31 MGA 1,315

522.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.70 MGA 2,915

12.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.41 MGA 5,900

368.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$4.71 MGA 19.8K

21.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.07 MGA 4,468

28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.32 MGA 5,517

125.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.21 MGA 877

1028.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$17.46 MGA 73.2K

160.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.13 MGA 4,720

279.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.18 MGA 9,140

-62.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$3.42 MGA 14.3K

435.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.19 MGA 4,992

73.11%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$15.4K MGA 64.6M

122.56%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$20.4K MGA 85.6M

92.49%

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

$148 €127

$42.44 MGA 177.9K

248.42%

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$53.1 MGA 222.8K

-25.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$11.41 MGA 47.8K

319.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

$21.80 MGA 91.4K

2716.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$16.48 MGA 69.1K

535.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$20.25 MGA 84.9K

107.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$45.64 MGA 191.4K

105.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$44.89 MGA 188.2K

166.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$125 MGA 525.4K

1179.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-84.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manakara: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1179% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $15.00 in Manakara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $130 per month, with Manakara 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 Manakara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Manakara differ by about 468% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $389 including rent). Manakara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 1179% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $21.80 in Manakara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 107% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $389 in Manakara versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manakara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Manakara 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 Manakara 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 Manakara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 468% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.