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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $442 in Mbeya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $669 in Mbeya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $896 in Mbeya.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 418% more expensive than in Mbeya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Mbeya is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$23.27 TZS 61.1K

172.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$7.86 TZS 20.6K

31.30%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.59 TZS 4,166

77.99%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.37 TZS 975

518.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.40 TZS 1,051

295.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$0.76 TZS 1,988

347.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.56 TZS 1,459

94.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.94 TZS 2,478

86.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.93 TZS 2,452

89.25%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.36 TZS 6,192

34.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$3.77 TZS 9,894

249.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$3.78 TZS 9,913

110.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$3.51 TZS 9,201

342.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.19 TZS 3,118

99.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.75 TZS 1,980

128.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.94 TZS 2,475

113.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.81 TZS 2,120

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.01 TZS 2,640

74.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.75 TZS 1,959

170.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.56 TZS 1,477

242.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.76 TZS 1,983

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.18 TZS 3,108

457.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$3.88 TZS 10.2K

43.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.80 TZS 2,086

66.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.15 TZS 3,005

158.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.41 TZS 1,074

456.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.13 TZS 2,966

274.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.70 TZS 4,470

-52.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$2.78 TZS 7,289

563.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.26 TZS 3,318

65.08%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

$25.04 TZS 65.7K

491.25%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$19.44 TZS 51.0K

5.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$46.15 TZS 121.1K

-14.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$38.01 TZS 99.7K

26.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$9.86 TZS 25.9K

-6.49%

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

$616 €539

$194 TZS 508.6K

217.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,146 TZS 3.0M

1334.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$11.45 TZS 30.1K

796.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$9.85 TZS 25.8K

323.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$19.63 TZS 51.5K

382.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$27.38 TZS 71.8K

345.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$117 TZS 306.4K

1298.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$76.6 TZS 201.0K

1508.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$193 TZS 505.6K

1507.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$117 TZS 307.1K

1635.49%

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

$188 TZS 494.0K

753.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-70.69%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $117 in Mbeya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 754% 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 $267 vs $117 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 418% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $442 including rent). Mbeya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 754% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $117 in Mbeya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 128% 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 $442 in Mbeya – a 418% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Mbeya versus $2,291 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 418% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.