Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Manzini Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Manzini

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $349 in Manzini.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $523 in Manzini.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $697 in Manzini.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 563% more expensive than in Manzini, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Manzini is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.92

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

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

$2.45 €2.11

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.24 SZL 20.08

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.93 SZL 15.08

112.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.82 SZL 29.43

-16.48%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$1.17 SZL 18.90

245.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$7.25 SZL 117

86.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.23

$3.08 SZL 49.77

172.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.74

$1.91 SZL 30.91

855.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.43 SZL 23.11

60.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.59 SZL 9.55

194.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.83 SZL 13.47

124.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$0.48 SZL 7.68

447.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.60 SZL 9.68

220.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$0.51 SZL 8.25

309.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.41 SZL 6.69

251.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.66 SZL 10.59

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$3.14 SZL 50.8

115.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$3.44 SZL 55.6

65.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.64 SZL 10.35

115.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$0.84 SZL 13.54

164.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$0.63 SZL 10.26

280.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.35

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.25

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.34 SZL 21.63

73.13%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$17.2K SZL 278.2K

105.23%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$16.2K SZL 262.2K

155.36%

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

$170 €147

$73.8 SZL 1,192

130.86%

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

$19.34 €16.68

$12.36 SZL 200

56.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.01

$30.80 SZL 498

9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.48

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$3.68 SZL 59.4

169.57%

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

$717 €619

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.49

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,446

$171 SZL 2,762

880.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,096

$109 SZL 1,757

1068.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,574

$368 SZL 5,949

710.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,718

$277 SZL 4,476

619.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,750

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,017

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,365

$410 SZL 6,619

286.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-62.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Manzini: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $171 in Manzini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 286% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Manzini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Manzini differ by about 563% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $349 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 286% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $171 in Manzini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 141% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $349 in Manzini – a 563% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $349 in Manzini versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manzini but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Manzini 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 Manzini 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 Manzini gentler on the wallet – expenses run 563% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.