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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $410 in Manakara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $629 in Manakara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $848 in Manakara.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 453% more expensive than in Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Manakara is 70% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$2.26 MGA 9,807

676.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$15.04 MGA 65.2K

328.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$3.67 MGA 15.9K

217.44%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.26 MGA 5,478

158.73%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.59 MGA 2,552

322.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.60 MGA 2,598

178.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.25 MGA 5,424

177.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$1.52 MGA 6,568

135.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.89 MGA 8,201

-37.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.06 MGA 4,600

83.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.70 MGA 3,050

122.86%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.35 MGA 10.2K

70.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$6.90 MGA 29.9K

92.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$3.60 MGA 15.6K

133.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$3.60 MGA 15.6K

406.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.00 MGA 4,321

132.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.75 MGA 3,241

130.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.36 MGA 1,566

436.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$0.75 MGA 3,270

252.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.62 MGA 2,673

206.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.79 MGA 3,403

167.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.34 MGA 1,472

323.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.72 MGA 3,101

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$1.47 MGA 6,348

376.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.70 MGA 20.4K

25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.12 MGA 4,869

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.34 MGA 5,824

60.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.22 MGA 953

981.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

$36.40 MGA 157.7K

26.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.17 MGA 5,083

258.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$2.36 MGA 10.2K

-53.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$3.55 MGA 15.4K

386.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.19 MGA 5,172

89.08%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$16.1K MGA 69.9M

113.70%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$21.5K MGA 93.1M

93.68%

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

$171 €147

$44.88 MGA 194.4K

280.75%

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

$19.01 €16.39

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$55.8 MGA 242.0K

-38.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$12.07 MGA 52.3K

311.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

$22.71 MGA 98.4K

2978.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$17.15 MGA 74.3K

509.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$21.34 MGA 92.5K

124.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$48.43 MGA 209.9K

110.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$46.11 MGA 199.8K

178.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$120 MGA 521.5K

1245.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-84.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Manakara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1245% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $15.00 in Manakara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $137 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 453% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $410 including rent). Manakara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1245% 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 $699 in Lisbon versus $22.71 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 $410 in Manakara versus $2,268 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 453% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.