Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mbeya Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mbeya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $431 in Mbeya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $664 in Mbeya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $898 in Mbeya.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 438% more expensive than in Mbeya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Mbeya is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$22.79 TZS 59.9K

177.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$7.51 TZS 19.7K

51.66%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$1.47 TZS 3,863

117.01%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.36 TZS 956

580.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.40 TZS 1,045

340.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$0.73 TZS 1,918

391.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.55 TZS 1,437

125.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.91 TZS 2,386

117.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.92 TZS 2,420

65.22%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$2.28 TZS 5,995

77.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$3.74 TZS 9,830

262.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$3.78 TZS 9,951

121.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$3.44 TZS 9,038

430.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.15 TZS 3,026

99.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.78 TZS 2,038

123.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.96 TZS 2,526

93.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.72 TZS 1,892

265.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.92 TZS 2,415

108.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.77 TZS 2,035

171.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.55 TZS 1,451

161.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.77 TZS 2,035

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$1.10 TZS 2,890

516.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$3.84 TZS 10.1K

48.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.74 TZS 1,943

86.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.11 TZS 2,917

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.39 TZS 1,036

515.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.11 TZS 2,916

275.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.87 TZS 4,908

-39.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$2.67 TZS 7,031

562.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.19 TZS 3,133

94.96%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.6K

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

$170 €146

$23.73 TZS 62.4K

617.78%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$18.80 TZS 49.4K

2.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$44.63 TZS 117.3K

-24.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$37.61 TZS 98.9K

27.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$9.46 TZS 24.9K

4.86%

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

$717 €617

$185 TZS 486.7K

287.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$1,135 TZS 3.0M

1440.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$11.37 TZS 29.9K

821.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$9.52 TZS 25.0K

393.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$19.10 TZS 50.2K

441.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$26.66 TZS 70.1K

364.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$112 TZS 293.7K

1400.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$75.9 TZS 199.5K

1574.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$188 TZS 493.6K

1489.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$112 TZS 294.3K

1679.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$192 TZS 504.5K

724.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-70.85%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $112 in Mbeya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 725% 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 $23.00 in Mbeya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $115 per month, with Mbeya 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 Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mbeya differ by about 438% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $431 including rent). Mbeya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 725% 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $112 in Mbeya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $431 in Mbeya – a 438% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $431 in Mbeya versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mbeya but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mbeya 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 Mbeya 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 Mbeya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 438% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.