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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $439 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $701 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $962 in Zanzibar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 422% more expensive than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

239.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

183.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

76.71%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.27 TZS 5,963

24.67%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.60 TZS 1,587

281.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.34 TZS 880

364.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.90 TZS 4,978

78.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.69 TZS 7,051

49.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.70 TZS 4,452

-35.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.73 TZS 1,921

139.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.87 TZS 2,292

102.30%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.87 TZS 7,534

10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$2.36 TZS 6,194

237.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

226.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.94 TZS 7,715

-19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.19 TZS 3,116

43.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.80 TZS 2,101

151.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.56 TZS 1,471

333.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.94 TZS 2,475

87.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.50 TZS 3,946

35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.79 TZS 2,068

143.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.50 TZS 1,311

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.02 TZS 5,289

225.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

-42.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.79 TZS 4,690

-25.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.31 TZS 3,438

126.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.63 TZS 1,666

261.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$2.77 TZS 7,270

565.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.16 TZS 3,036

79.31%

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

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

$20.46 €17.90

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

97.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

72.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

128.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

-5.05%

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

666.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

135.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

523.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

788.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$149 TZS 390.6K

996.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$101 TZS 266.1K

1115.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$202 TZS 529.6K

1435.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$150 TZS 392.5K

1258.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

-79.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

-61.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$316 TZS 829.5K

408.46%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $149 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 408% 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 $267 vs $139 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 422% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $439 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 408% 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 $149 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 $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $439 in Zanzibar – a 422% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $439 in Zanzibar versus $2,291 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 422% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.