Cost of Living Comparison Between Mangalia and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Mangalia and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,052 in Mangalia versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Mangalia versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,146 in Mangalia versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Mangalia costs roughly 54% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mangalia is 21% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.94 RON 45.21

$15.75 €13.64

-36.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.73 RON 194

$63.5 €55.0

-32.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 36.11

$10.45 €9.05

-24.02%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.77

$2.91 €2.52

-11.00%

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

$2.00 RON 9.11

$2.29 €1.98

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 RON 8.54

$1.50 €1.30

25.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 10.38

$3.56 €3.09

-35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 RON 15.86

$3.96 €3.43

-11.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 6.14

$1.08 €0.94

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 RON 4.78

$1.76 €1.53

-40.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.79

$1.70 €1.47

0.59%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.68

$3.25 €2.81

-0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.51 RON 38.70

$13.25 €11.47

-35.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 RON 32.81

$7.70 €6.67

-6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.96 RON 40.74

$15.77 €13.66

-43.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.46

$2.28 €1.97

-47.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.44

$1.66 €1.43

-14.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.90

$2.02 €1.75

-35.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 RON 9.02

$2.47 €2.14

-19.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.61

$1.79 €1.55

-55.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.11

$2.07 €1.79

-56.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 RON 3.15

$1.97 €1.71

-64.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.83 €0.72

-4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.72

$6.55 €5.68

-10.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 RON 30.36

$5.57 €4.82

19.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.37

$1.33 €1.15

-27.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 RON 6.20

$3.01 €2.60

-54.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$2.27 €1.97

-68.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.53 RON 88.8

$46.35 €40.14

-57.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.00

$4.23 €3.66

-84.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.76

$0.85 €0.73

-28.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 RON 25.52

$18.83 €16.31

-70.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.26

$2.02 €1.75

-20.79%

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

$24.8K RON 112.7K

$35.0K €30.3K

-29.12%

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

$27.5K RON 124.9K

$39.6K €34.3K

-30.69%

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

$149 RON 677

$148 €128

0.59%

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

$6.77 RON 30.76

$20.52 €17.77

-67.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.85 RON 44.77

$39.52 €34.23

-75.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 RON 187

$48.17 €41.72

-14.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.06 RON 86.7

$18.39 €15.92

3.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 RON 31.81

$9.10 €7.88

-23.08%

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

$432 RON 1,965

$615 €532

-29.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,959 RON 31.6K

$16.3K €14.1K

-57.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 RON 371

$102 €88.0

-19.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.86 RON 195

$42.09 €36.45

1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 RON 342

$92.3 €79.9

-18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 RON 439

$122 €106

-20.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 RON 1,792

$1,612 €1,396

-75.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 RON 1,298

$1,254 €1,086

-77.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 RON 2,628

$3,069 €2,658

-81.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 2,028

$2,037 €1,764

-78.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,047 RON 9,306

$7,751 €6,712

-73.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,399 RON 6,358

$4,286 €3,712

-67.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 RON 3,410

$1,602 €1,387

-53.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

3.81

73.75%

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

Last update for Mangalia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Mangalia and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 114% 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: $43.00 in Mangalia vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $267 per month, with Mangalia 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

Mangalia vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mangalia and Lisbon differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($1,052 vs $2,280 including rent). Mangalia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 114% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $394 in Mangalia versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $432 in Mangalia versus $615 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,052 in Mangalia versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mangalia but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mangalia 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, Mangalia 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 Mangalia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.