Cost of Living Comparison Between Manakara and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Manakara and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $410 in Manakara versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $629 in Manakara versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $848 in Manakara versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Manakara costs roughly 82% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manakara is 70% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 MGA 9,807

$17.55 €15.13

-87.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.04 MGA 65.2K

$64.5 €55.6

-76.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.67 MGA 15.9K

$11.65 €10.04

-68.50%

Cappuccino

$1.26 MGA 5,478

$3.26 €2.81

-61.35%

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

$0.59 MGA 2,552

$2.49 €2.15

-76.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MGA 2,598

$1.67 €1.44

-64.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 MGA 5,424

$3.47 €2.99

-63.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MGA 6,568

$3.58 €3.08

-57.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MGA 8,201

$1.18 €1.02

60.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MGA 4,600

$1.95 €1.68

-45.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 MGA 3,050

$1.56 €1.35

-55.13%

Eggs

$2.35 MGA 10.2K

$4.01 €3.46

-41.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 MGA 29.9K

$13.27 €11.45

-48.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 MGA 15.6K

$8.42 €7.26

-57.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.60 MGA 15.6K

$18.23 €15.72

-80.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 MGA 4,321

$2.32 €2.00

-56.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 MGA 3,241

$1.73 €1.49

-56.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.36 MGA 1,566

$1.93 €1.67

-81.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 MGA 3,270

$2.64 €2.28

-71.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 MGA 2,673

$1.90 €1.64

-67.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MGA 3,403

$2.11 €1.82

-62.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,472

$1.44 €1.24

-76.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MGA 3,101

$0.80 €0.69

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.47 MGA 6,348

$7.01 €6.04

-79.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.70 MGA 20.4K

$5.92 €5.11

-20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MGA 4,869

$1.36 €1.18

-17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MGA 5,824

$2.15 €1.85

-37.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 MGA 953

$2.38 €2.05

-90.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.40 MGA 157.7K

$46.22 €39.86

-21.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MGA 5,083

$4.19 €3.61

-72.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 MGA 10.2K

$1.10 €0.95

114.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 MGA 15.4K

$17.26 €14.88

-79.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 MGA 5,172

$2.25 €1.94

-47.11%

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

$16.1K MGA 69.9M

$34.5K €29.7K

-53.21%

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

$21.5K MGA 93.1M

$41.6K €35.9K

-48.37%

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

$44.88 MGA 194.4K

$171 €147

-73.74%

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

$19.01 €16.39

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 MGA 242.0K

$34.28 €29.56

62.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.07 MGA 52.3K

$49.65 €42.81

-75.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$22.71 MGA 98.4K

$699 €603

-96.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.15 MGA 74.3K

$105 €90.2

-83.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.34 MGA 92.5K

$47.97 €41.36

-55.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.43 MGA 209.9K

$102 €87.8

-52.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.11 MGA 199.8K

$128 €111

-64.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$120 MGA 521.5K

$1,619 €1,396

-92.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

534.92%

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

Last update for Manakara: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 1245% 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: $15.00 in Manakara vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $137 vs $281 per month, with Manakara 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

Manakara vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manakara and Lisbon differ by about 453% in total monthly costs ($410 vs $2,268 including rent). Manakara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1245% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $22.71 in Manakara versus $699 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $410 in Manakara versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manakara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Manakara 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, Manakara 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 Manakara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 453% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.