Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $383 in Mahajanga versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $704 in Mahajanga versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,025 in Mahajanga versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Mahajanga costs roughly 83% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mahajanga is 71% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 MGA 8,196

$15.94 €13.73

-87.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$63.4 €54.6

-72.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

Cappuccino

$0.70 MGA 2,947

$2.79 €2.40

-74.91%

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

$0.93 MGA 3,895

$2.34 €2.01

-60.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MGA 3,806

$1.57 €1.35

-42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,304

$3.43 €2.95

-69.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MGA 6,368

$3.91 €3.37

-61.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 MGA 4,433

$1.08 €0.93

-1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MGA 2,684

$1.77 €1.52

-63.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,344

$1.71 €1.47

-67.25%

Eggs

$1.94 MGA 8,125

$3.15 €2.71

-38.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 MGA 28.5K

$13.68 €11.79

-50.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 MGA 22.7K

$8.01 €6.90

-32.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

$15.52 €13.37

-78.35%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MGA 4,070

$2.29 €1.98

-57.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,455

$1.64 €1.41

-64.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,236

$1.94 €1.67

-60.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,111

$2.51 €2.17

-80.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,063

$1.79 €1.54

-72.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,869

$2.01 €1.73

-77.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MGA 1,650

$1.97 €1.69

-80.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MGA 2,441

$0.84 €0.73

-30.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.09 MGA 4,589

$6.79 €5.85

-83.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 MGA 41.0K

$5.67 €4.89

72.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,444

$1.39 €1.20

-41.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MGA 4,276

$3.02 €2.60

-66.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 MGA 601

$2.27 €1.95

-93.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

$45.44 €39.15

-80.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MGA 4,543

$1.99 €1.71

-45.73%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

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

$39.5K €34.1K

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

$45.03 MGA 188.9K

$146 €126

-69.20%

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

$6.74 MGA 28.3K

$20.45 €17.62

-67.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.77 MGA 91.3K

$38.98 €33.58

-44.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$48.98 €42.21

-64.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

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

$608 €524

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 MGA 1.4M

$1,621 €1,397

-79.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 MGA 448.3K

$1,268 €1,092

-91.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 MGA 2.8M

$3,048 €2,626

-78.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MGA 1.9M

$2,009 €1,731

-77.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Mahajanga: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $327 in Mahajanga and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Mahajanga vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $135 vs $269 per month, with Mahajanga 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

Mahajanga vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahajanga and Lisbon differ by about 490% in total monthly costs ($383 vs $2,263 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $575 in Mahajanga and $3,394 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $327 in Mahajanga versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 99% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $383 per month in Mahajanga versus $2,263 in Lisbon – a 490% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $383 in Mahajanga versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mahajanga but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mahajanga 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, Mahajanga and Lisbon 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 Mahajanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 490% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.