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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $387 in Manakara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $590 in Manakara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $794 in Manakara.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 492% more expensive than in Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$2.19 MGA 9,375

639.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$14.83 MGA 63.6K

327.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$3.56 MGA 15.3K

189.89%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.15 MGA 4,934

146.09%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.58 MGA 2,477

294.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.58 MGA 2,487

172.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.15 MGA 4,920

195.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.47 MGA 6,285

174.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.73 MGA 7,411

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.01 MGA 4,351

73.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.68 MGA 2,911

158.82%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.31 MGA 9,906

37.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$6.46 MGA 27.7K

104.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$3.37 MGA 14.4K

136.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$3.65 MGA 15.6K

325.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.02 MGA 4,359

132.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.69 MGA 2,956

147.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.35 MGA 1,489

474.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.68 MGA 2,920

257.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.55 MGA 2,352

220.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.76 MGA 3,278

167.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.34 MGA 1,479

464.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.65 MGA 2,793

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.41 MGA 6,063

366.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$4.78 MGA 20.5K

16.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.04 MGA 4,448

27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.24 MGA 5,337

139.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.21 MGA 900

985.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$17.57 MGA 75.4K

160.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.08 MGA 4,636

291.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.15 MGA 9,215

-62.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$3.27 MGA 14.0K

463.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.13 MGA 4,859

84.07%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$15.8K MGA 67.6M

120.09%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$20.3K MGA 87.2M

92.61%

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

$148 €130

$42.54 MGA 182.5K

248.03%

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

$20.46 €17.90

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$54.1 MGA 232.1K

-26.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$11.46 MGA 49.2K

318.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$616 €539

$22.28 MGA 95.6K

2665.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$16.21 MGA 69.5K

533.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$20.29 MGA 87.0K

105.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$45.92 MGA 196.9K

106.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$44.81 MGA 192.2K

172.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$123 MGA 527.1K

1207.69%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Manakara: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1208% 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 $15.00 in Manakara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 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 492% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $387 including rent). Manakara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1208% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $22.28 in Manakara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $387 in Manakara versus $2,291 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 492% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.