Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Matagalpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Matagalpa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $842 in Matagalpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,258 in Matagalpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,674 in Matagalpa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 169% more expensive than Matagalpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Matagalpa is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$4.80 NIO 176

232.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$24.91 NIO 912

154.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$6.80 NIO 249

52.65%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.41 NIO 88.4

15.77%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.85 NIO 31.09

175.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.46 NIO 16.96

241.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.19 NIO 43.52

188.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.01 NIO 73.7

94.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.19 NIO 43.53

-9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.53 NIO 56.0

15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.57 NIO 57.5

8.92%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.19 NIO 80.2

43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$1.90 NIO 69.7

620.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.11 NIO 151

94.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$6.78 NIO 248

128.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.88 NIO 142

-40.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.91 NIO 33.17

80.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.76 NIO 64.4

10.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.28 NIO 83.4

10.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.13 NIO 41.32

58.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.18 NIO 80.0

-7.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.68 NIO 24.81

189.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.99 NIO 36.10

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.64 NIO 96.5

157.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$9.90 NIO 362

-42.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.20 NIO 43.78

15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.19 NIO 80.3

37.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.49 NIO 17.82

363.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.84 NIO 30.71

410.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.91 NIO 33.18

-6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$6.69 NIO 245

173.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.37 NIO 50.1

45.26%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$23.3K NIO 854.5K

50.16%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$26.4K NIO 967.8K

49.65%

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

$146 €126

$52.6 NIO 1,928

177.70%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$17.24 NIO 632

18.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$35.43 NIO 1,297

10.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$8.16 NIO 299

16.67%

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

$608 €524

$99.9 NIO 3,658

508.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$5,958 NIO 218.2K

177.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$75.9 NIO 2,781

36.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$72.1 NIO 2,639

-41.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$133 NIO 4,854

-30.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$110 NIO 4,035

8.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$157 NIO 5,735

935.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$267 NIO 9,764

375.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$551 NIO 20.2K

452.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$369 NIO 13.5K

444.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$100 NIO 3,665

1483.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.25

-62.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Matagalpa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $157 in Matagalpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1484% 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 $25.00 in Matagalpa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $185 per month, with Matagalpa 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 Matagalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Matagalpa differ by about 169% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $842 including rent). Matagalpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 1484% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $157 in Matagalpa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $842 in Matagalpa – a 169% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $842 in Matagalpa versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Matagalpa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Matagalpa 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 Matagalpa 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 Matagalpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.