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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $324 in Manzini.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $485 in Manzini.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $645 in Manzini.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 606% more expensive than in Manzini, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Manzini is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.15

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.02

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

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

$2.29 €2.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.17 SZL 19.31

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.88 SZL 14.52

98.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.72 SZL 28.39

2.33%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.06 SZL 17.40

199.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.53

$6.82 SZL 112

93.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.96

$2.74 SZL 45.04

190.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.57

$1.69 SZL 27.86

818.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.23 SZL 20.20

92.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.59 SZL 9.66

189.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

$0.71 SZL 11.70

183.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$0.46 SZL 7.63

428.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.54 SZL 8.96

225.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.46 SZL 7.59

341.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.37 SZL 6.17

418.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.63 SZL 10.43

34.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.75

$2.77 SZL 45.66

137.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.87

$3.38 SZL 55.7

65.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$0.53 SZL 8.77

150.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$0.71 SZL 11.66

318.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.58 SZL 9.62

293.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.26 SZL 20.67

65.08%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$15.7K SZL 258.6K

120.72%

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

$39.2K €34.2K

$14.7K SZL 241.9K

166.53%

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

$148 €129

$67.3 SZL 1,108

120.02%

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

$20.46 €17.88

$11.36 SZL 187

80.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.56

$27.52 SZL 453

43.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.06

$3.39 SZL 55.9

171.98%

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

$616 €538

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,426

$154 SZL 2,533

961.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,077

$97.2 SZL 1,601

1167.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,707

$338 SZL 5,574

815.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,775

$251 SZL 4,128

710.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

$398 SZL 6,559

303.49%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Manzini: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $154 in Manzini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 303% 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 606% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $324 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 303% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $154 in Manzini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 147% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $324 in Manzini – a 606% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $324 in Manzini versus $2,291 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 606% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.