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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $451 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $702 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $954 in Zanzibar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 390% more expensive than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Zanzibar is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

226.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

189.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

80.27%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.18 TZS 5,635

31.65%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.60 TZS 1,539

273.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.31 TZS 792

383.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.94 TZS 5,011

79.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.77 TZS 7,141

40.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.77 TZS 4,574

-35.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.74 TZS 1,897

136.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.87 TZS 2,236

102.30%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.87 TZS 7,396

12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$2.28 TZS 5,872

246.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

234.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.92 TZS 7,541

-20.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.13 TZS 2,908

50.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.75 TZS 1,943

168.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.59 TZS 1,530

316.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.93 TZS 2,386

97.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.58 TZS 4,062

26.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.74 TZS 1,916

160.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.46 TZS 1,184

71.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.11 TZS 5,442

213.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

-40.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.75 TZS 4,520

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.31 TZS 3,387

126.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.65 TZS 1,664

264.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.76 TZS 7,125

563.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.20 TZS 3,101

71.67%

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

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

$20.52 €17.65

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

96.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

74.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

125.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-2.55%

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

689.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

141.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

515.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

769.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$148 TZS 382.9K

996.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

1167.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$202 TZS 520.2K

1402.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$150 TZS 386.0K

1249.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

-79.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

-62.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$324 TZS 834.5K

395.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-61.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $148 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 396% 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $138 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 390% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $451 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 396% 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 $148 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $451 in Zanzibar – a 390% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $451 in Zanzibar versus $2,210 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 390% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.