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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $432 in Mbeya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $669 in Mbeya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $905 in Mbeya.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 411% more expensive than Mbeya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Mbeya is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$23.32 TZS 60.1K

177.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.94 TZS 20.5K

32.37%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.58 TZS 4,065

81.65%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.41 TZS 1,054

446.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.41 TZS 1,048

265.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$0.73 TZS 1,896

378.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.55 TZS 1,426

107.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.99 TZS 2,555

76.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.00 TZS 2,576

76.00%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.28 TZS 5,881

41.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$3.92 TZS 10.1K

244.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.81 TZS 9,832

107.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$3.53 TZS 9,101

349.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.15 TZS 2,959

100.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.79 TZS 2,048

115.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.96 TZS 2,464

109.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.74 TZS 1,908

232.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.95 TZS 2,461

93.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.81 TZS 2,076

146.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.55 TZS 1,430

250.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.75 TZS 1,922

5.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.19 TZS 3,078

455.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$3.89 TZS 10.0K

47.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.80 TZS 2,075

71.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.17 TZS 3,023

153.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.37 TZS 962

540.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.19 TZS 3,059

260.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.76 TZS 4,540

-53.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.76 TZS 7,108

563.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.27 TZS 3,263

62.20%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

$24.83 TZS 64.0K

495.53%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$19.42 TZS 50.1K

5.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$45.89 TZS 118.4K

-13.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$38.67 TZS 99.7K

23.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$9.49 TZS 24.5K

-3.27%

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

$614 €528

$193 TZS 498.9K

217.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,179 TZS 3.0M

1261.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$11.44 TZS 29.5K

814.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$9.78 TZS 25.2K

330.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$19.68 TZS 50.7K

377.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$27.31 TZS 70.4K

338.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$115 TZS 297.1K

1312.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$78.5 TZS 202.5K

1498.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$191 TZS 492.9K

1485.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$114 TZS 295.2K

1665.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$191 TZS 491.4K

741.53%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $115 in Mbeya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 742% 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 $23.00 in Mbeya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $118 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 411% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $432 including rent). Mbeya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 742% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $115 in Mbeya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $432 in Mbeya – a 411% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $432 in Mbeya versus $2,210 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 411% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.