Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mbabane Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mbabane

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $789 in Mbabane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,281 in Mbabane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,772 in Mbabane.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 187% more expensive than in Mbabane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Mbabane is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$10.81 SZL 174

62.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$34.66 SZL 558

86.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$5.98 SZL 96.2

94.82%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.73 SZL 43.90

19.41%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.12 SZL 18.09

122.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.63 SZL 10.15

165.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.21 SZL 35.61

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.45 SZL 39.46

46.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.62 SZL 25.99

-27.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.88 SZL 14.22

121.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.80 SZL 29.01

-13.33%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.91 SZL 30.73

109.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$11.18 SZL 180

18.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.00 SZL 96.5

40.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$5.35 SZL 86.1

240.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.79 SZL 28.80

29.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.68 SZL 11.00

154.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.30 SZL 20.87

48.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.48 SZL 23.85

78.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.31 SZL 21.01

45.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.63 SZL 26.23

29.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.74 SZL 11.84

94.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.84 SZL 13.49

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.93 SZL 47.15

139.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$6.35 SZL 102

-6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.68 SZL 26.96

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.68 SZL 27.01

27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.72 SZL 11.56

230.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.51 SZL 24.23

-27.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$3.22 SZL 51.7

436.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.27 SZL 20.39

77.17%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

$65.5 SZL 1,054

160.77%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$38.82 SZL 625

-51.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$28.63 SZL 461

19.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$23.39 SZL 376

112.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$3.08 SZL 49.59

533.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$3.76 SZL 60.5

168.62%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$6,482 SZL 104.3K

174.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$35.36 SZL 569

195.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$15.33 SZL 247

212.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$73.7 SZL 1,185

38.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$56.3 SZL 906

127.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$287 SZL 4,616

479.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$186 SZL 2,987

561.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$474 SZL 7,622

515.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$361 SZL 5,808

460.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$500 SZL 8,046

1525.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$378 SZL 6,076

1127.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

7.25

-47.86%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mbabane: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $287 in Mbabane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Mbabane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $190 per month, with Mbabane 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 Mbabane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mbabane differ by about 187% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $789 including rent). Mbabane is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $1,183 in Mbabane to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $287 in Mbabane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mbabane – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $789 in Mbabane – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $789 in Mbabane versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mbabane but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mbabane 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 Mbabane 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 Mbabane gentler on the wallet – expenses run 187% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.