Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zanzibar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zanzibar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $581 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $872 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,163 in Zanzibar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 299% more expensive than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Zanzibar is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

268.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

190.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

107.09%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.13 TZS 5,598

49.77%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.63 TZS 1,649

288.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.31 TZS 805

467.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.93 TZS 5,067

86.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.58 TZS 6,772

31.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$2.07 TZS 5,438

-40.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.75 TZS 1,978

164.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.86 TZS 2,251

76.74%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$2.68 TZS 7,052

50.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

76.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$2.26 TZS 5,939

271.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

200.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.92 TZS 7,665

-21.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.11 TZS 2,919

56.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.74 TZS 1,951

151.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.58 TZS 1,528

353.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.98 TZS 2,565

95.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.55 TZS 4,079

34.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.74 TZS 1,946

94.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.48 TZS 1,269

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.17 TZS 5,697

212.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

-40.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.55 TZS 4,062

-10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.36 TZS 3,567

63.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.29 TZS 759

727.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

9.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.74 TZS 1,951

54.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$2.62 TZS 6,884

574.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.16 TZS 3,039

100.00%

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

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

-15.71%

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

$170 €146

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

131.02%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

68.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

-30.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

61.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

2.69%

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

697.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

180.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

572.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

854.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$150 TZS 393.4K

1020.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$101 TZS 264.6K

1162.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$203 TZS 534.6K

1367.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$149 TZS 392.4K

1234.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

-79.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

-59.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$312 TZS 820.9K

406.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-62.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $150 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 407% 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $166 per month, with Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zanzibar differ by about 299% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $581 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 407% 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 $150 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zanzibar – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $581 in Zanzibar – a 299% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $581 in Zanzibar versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zanzibar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 299% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.