Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manakara and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Manakara: $397 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Manakara, Madagascar
Lisbon, Portugal
Manakara
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$397
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manakara and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manakara and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $397 in Manakara versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Manakara $397
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $610 in Manakara versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Manakara $610
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $822 in Manakara versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Manakara $822
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Manakara costs roughly 82% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manakara is 71% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.23 MGA 10.2K
$16.65 €14.92
-86.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.74 MGA 67.5K
$61.7 €55.3
-76.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.58 MGA 16.4K
$11.36 €10.18
-68.49%
Cappuccino
$1.14 MGA 5,205
$2.97 €2.66
-61.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 MGA 2,771
$2.29 €2.05
-73.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 MGA 2,424
$1.74 €1.56
-69.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.18 MGA 5,424
$3.40 €3.05
-65.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MGA 6,721
$3.31 €2.97
-55.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 MGA 8,161
$1.16 €1.04
53.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.02 MGA 4,685
$1.91 €1.71
-46.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.67 MGA 3,057
$1.51 €1.36
-55.63%
Eggs
$2.28 MGA 10.4K
$4.02 €3.60
-43.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.56 MGA 30.0K
$12.94 €11.59
-49.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 MGA 15.6K
$7.77 €6.97
-56.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.60 MGA 16.5K
$17.76 €15.92
-79.73%
Apples (1kg)
$0.95 MGA 4,365
$2.30 €2.06
-58.70%
Banana (1kg)
$0.72 MGA 3,304
$1.73 €1.55
-58.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.37 MGA 1,696
$1.86 €1.66
-80.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.71 MGA 3,265
$2.59 €2.32
-72.59%
Potato (1kg)
$0.58 MGA 2,679
$1.82 €1.63
-68.13%
Onion (1kg)
$0.70 MGA 3,203
$1.97 €1.76
-64.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 MGA 1,584
$1.47 €1.32
-76.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 MGA 2,903
$0.72 €0.65
-12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.36 MGA 6,248
$6.58 €5.90
-79.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.34 MGA 19.9K
$5.61 €5.02
-22.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 MGA 4,858
$1.36 €1.22
-22.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MGA 5,707
$2.14 €1.91
-41.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 MGA 961
$2.33 €2.09
-90.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.72 MGA 159.0K
$44.68 €40.04
-22.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.12 MGA 5,152
$3.85 €3.45
-70.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.26 MGA 10.4K
$1.07 €0.96
111.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.32 MGA 15.2K
$16.46 €14.75
-79.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 MGA 5,111
$2.20 €1.97
-49.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.2K MGA 69.6M
$34.2K €30.6K
-55.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K MGA 94.7M
$38.7K €34.7K
-46.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$42.29 MGA 193.7K
$161 €144
-73.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$18.41 €16.50
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 MGA 245.6K
$32.74 €29.34
63.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$11.63 MGA 53.3K
$44.55 €39.92
-73.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.10 €17.11
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$9.60 €8.60
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$22.17 MGA 101.5K
$668 €598
-96.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$17.6K €15.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.20 MGA 74.2K
$102 €91.4
-84.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.07 MGA 91.9K
$44.46 €39.85
-54.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$44.60 MGA 204.3K
$98.5 €88.3
-54.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$43.80 MGA 200.6K
$124 €111
-64.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,608 €1,441
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,190 €1,066
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,812 €2,520
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,013 €1,804
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,839 €7,025
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,576 €4,100
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manakara
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$115 MGA 527.9K
$1,575 €1,411
-92.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24
3.85
523.38%

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

Last update for Manakara: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Manakara
$130
Lisbon
$272 109% $142
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manakara
$96 *
Lisbon
$212 121% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Manakara
$56
Lisbon
$166 196% $110
Eating Out
Manakara
$56
Lisbon
$243 336% $187
Getting Around
Manakara
$48
Lisbon
$63 31.7% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Manakara
$12 *
Lisbon
$64 448% $52
Accommodation & Living
Manakara
- *
Lisbon
$1.2K

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays about 14 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $15 in Manakara vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $272 per month, with Manakara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇬 Manakara
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
07:25 7:25 AM
04:25 4:25 AM
3 h behind Manakara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
44,237
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 4,580 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD). 1 EUR = 5,099 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manakara Lisbon 9,010 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Manakara
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Manakara and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $397 in Manakara and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Manakara is about 82% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 93% lower in Manakara. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Manakara and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $22 in Manakara versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $397 in Manakara versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 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.
How does quality of life compare between Manakara and Lisbon?
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.
How do I decide between Manakara and Lisbon?
It comes down to priorities – Manakara wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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