Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mbarara Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mbarara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $540 in Mbarara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $874 in Mbarara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,208 in Mbarara.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 324% more expensive than in Mbarara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Mbarara is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$2.70 UGX 9,993

499.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$26.47 UGX 97.9K

139.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$8.42 UGX 31.2K

22.57%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

0.35%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.47 UGX 1,751

387.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.31 UGX 1,160

409.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.43 UGX 5,286

137.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.76 UGX 10.2K

46.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.54 UGX 2,000

101.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.22 UGX 4,495

43.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.38 UGX 5,088

27.54%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.84 UGX 6,792

72.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$4.19 UGX 15.5K

214.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$5.01 UGX 18.5K

59.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$3.85 UGX 14.2K

303.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.78 UGX 10.3K

-14.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.52 UGX 5,638

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.75 UGX 6,465

14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.55 UGX 5,729

56.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.59 UGX 5,883

10.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.92 UGX 7,096

5.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.01 UGX 3,732

90.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.58 UGX 2,160

46.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.98 UGX 11.0K

120.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$8.60 UGX 31.8K

-35.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.18 UGX 4,377

12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.04 UGX 7,545

45.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.87 UGX 3,201

162.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.57 UGX 2,122

642.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.28 UGX 1,038

189.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$4.22 UGX 15.6K

336.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.46 UGX 5,388

42.47%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$9,083 UGX 33.6M

281.67%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$8,679 UGX 32.1M

351.16%

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

$148 €130

$41.67 UGX 154.1K

255.29%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$14.62 UGX 54.1K

39.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$44.35 UGX 164.0K

-10.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$20.92 UGX 77.4K

129.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$6.33 UGX 23.4K

45.66%

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

$616 €539

$159 UGX 586.3K

288.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,244 UGX 15.7M

287.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$17.09 UGX 63.2K

500.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$14.38 UGX 53.2K

190.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$38.10 UGX 140.9K

148.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$47.31 UGX 175.0K

157.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$97.4 UGX 360.2K

1576.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$83.6 UGX 309.3K

1373.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$261 UGX 964.1K

1088.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$192 UGX 710.0K

958.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

20.8

-81.68%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mbarara: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $97.4 in Mbarara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Mbarara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $164 per month, with Mbarara 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 Mbarara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mbarara differ by about 324% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $540 including rent). Mbarara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $810 in Mbarara 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $97.4 in Mbarara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% 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 $540 in Mbarara – a 324% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $540 in Mbarara versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mbarara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mbarara 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 Mbarara 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 Mbarara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 324% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.