Cost of Living Comparison Between Malabo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Malabo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $589 in Malabo versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,225 in Malabo versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,862 in Malabo versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Malabo costs roughly 74% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Malabo is 56% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 FCFA 40.1K

$63.3 €55.4

10.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 FCFA 4,978

$10.32 €9.03

-15.89%

Cappuccino

$5.20 FCFA 2,984

$2.83 €2.48

83.75%

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

$0.90 FCFA 517

$2.29 €2.00

-60.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 FCFA 521

$1.58 €1.38

-42.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 FCFA 1,628

$1.09 €0.95

160.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

Eggs

$4.11 FCFA 2,358

$3.17 €2.77

29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 FCFA 3,901

$13.19 €11.54

-48.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 FCFA 3,848

$7.97 €6.97

-15.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 FCFA 4,297

$15.53 €13.59

-51.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 FCFA 531

$1.92 €1.68

-51.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 FCFA 724

$0.85 €0.74

48.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 FCFA 2,568

$6.58 €5.76

-31.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 FCFA 838

$1.33 €1.17

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 FCFA 748

$2.28 €1.99

-42.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 FCFA 15.3K

$45.79 €40.06

-41.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 FCFA 482

$4.23 €3.70

-80.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 FCFA 459

$0.81 €0.71

-1.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 FCFA 5,047

$18.44 €16.13

-52.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

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

$33.5K FCFA 19.2M

$34.7K €30.3K

-3.44%

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

$29.5K FCFA 16.9M

$39.2K €34.3K

-24.58%

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

$148 €130

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

$17.49 FCFA 10.0K

$20.46 €17.90

-14.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.52 FCFA 10.0K

$39.56 €34.61

-55.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.61 FCFA 19.8K

$47.99 €41.99

-27.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 FCFA 8,566

$18.60 €16.27

-19.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 FCFA 3,177

$9.22 €8.07

-39.91%

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$357 FCFA 204.8K

$16.4K €14.4K

-97.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.55 FCFA 15.2K

$103 €89.9

-74.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$134 FCFA 76.6K

$41.74 €36.52

219.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 FCFA 51.5K

$122 €107

-26.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 FCFA 152.9K

$1,633 €1,428

-83.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 FCFA 70.9K

$1,232 €1,078

-89.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 FCFA 549.3K

$3,098 €2,711

-69.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 FCFA 298.4K

$2,031 €1,777

-74.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$846 FCFA 485.0K

$7,831 €6,851

-89.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$645 FCFA 369.7K

$4,389 €3,840

-85.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

3.81

78.48%

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

Last update for Malabo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $267 in Malabo and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Malabo vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $147 vs $267, with Malabo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Malabo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malabo and Lisbon differ by about 289% in total monthly costs ($589 vs $2,291 including rent). Malabo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $883 in Malabo and $3,437 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: $267 in Malabo versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $589 per month in Malabo versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 289% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $589 in Malabo versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Malabo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Malabo 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, Malabo 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 Malabo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 289% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.