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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $845 in Matagalpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,257 in Matagalpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,669 in Matagalpa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 164% more expensive than Matagalpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Matagalpa is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$4.94 NIO 182

227.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$25.20 NIO 926

156.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$6.89 NIO 253

50.65%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.38 NIO 87.4

16.39%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.86 NIO 31.44

161.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.46 NIO 16.97

241.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.23 NIO 45.08

183.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.02 NIO 74.2

98.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.20 NIO 44.22

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.46 NIO 53.7

19.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.59 NIO 58.3

9.43%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.26 NIO 83.0

40.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$1.92 NIO 70.7

599.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.24 NIO 156

88.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$6.80 NIO 250

136.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.83 NIO 141

-40.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.90 NIO 33.15

91.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.82 NIO 66.8

6.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.20 NIO 80.9

15.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.08 NIO 39.65

69.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.26 NIO 83.3

-9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.73 NIO 26.96

171.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.99 NIO 36.37

-14.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.71 NIO 99.5

152.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$9.95 NIO 366

-41.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.26 NIO 46.23

8.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.25 NIO 82.8

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.49 NIO 17.95

365.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.84 NIO 30.94

385.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.98 NIO 35.89

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$6.60 NIO 243

176.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.34 NIO 49.33

50.00%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$22.7K NIO 835.6K

55.14%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$25.9K NIO 950.8K

48.80%

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

$145 €124

$53.4 NIO 1,962

172.39%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$17.07 NIO 628

22.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$35.33 NIO 1,299

13.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$7.94 NIO 292

14.11%

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

$607 €519

$99.3 NIO 3,651

510.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$5,983 NIO 220.0K

172.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$78.9 NIO 2,901

32.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$73.0 NIO 2,685

-43.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$135 NIO 4,949

-30.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$109 NIO 4,012

8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$156 NIO 5,736

927.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$261 NIO 9,591

373.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$545 NIO 20.0K

459.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$380 NIO 14.0K

441.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$203 NIO 7,457

680.92%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Matagalpa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $156 in Matagalpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 681% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Matagalpa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $186 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 164% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $845 including rent). Matagalpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 681% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $156 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 $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $845 in Matagalpa – a 164% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $845 in Matagalpa versus $2,227 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 164% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.