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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $319 in Manzini.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $472 in Manzini.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $625 in Manzini.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 594% more expensive than Manzini, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Manzini is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

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

$2.24 €1.93

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.13 SZL 18.42

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.89 SZL 14.60

96.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.70 SZL 27.81

3.53%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.11 SZL 18.13

190.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$6.70 SZL 109

101.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$2.82 SZL 46.14

180.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$1.70 SZL 27.84

833.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.23 SZL 20.10

87.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.54 SZL 8.87

214.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.70 SZL 11.46

187.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.44 SZL 7.11

459.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.58 SZL 9.49

217.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.44 SZL 7.14

354.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.38 SZL 6.19

407.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.59 SZL 9.71

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$2.74 SZL 44.77

141.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$3.38 SZL 55.2

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.53 SZL 8.70

158.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$0.75 SZL 12.18

296.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.58 SZL 9.47

308.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.21 SZL 19.70

70.25%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$16.0K SZL 260.9K

114.62%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$14.9K SZL 242.7K

164.52%

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

$148 €127

$67.4 SZL 1,100

119.55%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$11.17 SZL 182

83.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$27.54 SZL 450

43.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$3.46 SZL 56.5

165.32%

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

$614 €529

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$153 SZL 2,503

962.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$99.2 SZL 1,621

1164.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$341 SZL 5,567

789.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$251 SZL 4,107

703.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$407 SZL 6,654

293.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-61.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manzini: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $153 in Manzini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 294% 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 594% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $319 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 294% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $153 in Manzini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $319 in Manzini – a 594% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $319 in Manzini versus $2,210 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 594% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.