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: $1,043 in Mangalia versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,571 in Mangalia versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,099 in Mangalia versus $4,368 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 22% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.04 RON 45.44

$15.94 €13.73

-37.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.90 RON 190

$63.4 €54.6

-33.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 RON 34.71

$10.38 €8.95

-26.11%

Cappuccino

$2.64 RON 11.95

$2.79 €2.40

-5.38%

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

$1.99 RON 9.01

$2.34 €2.01

-14.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.41

$1.57 €1.35

18.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.65

$3.43 €2.95

-31.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 RON 15.65

$3.91 €3.37

-11.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.30

$1.08 €0.93

28.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 RON 4.77

$1.77 €1.52

-40.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.71 €1.47

-1.17%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.64

$3.15 €2.71

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 RON 38.75

$13.68 €11.79

-37.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 RON 32.66

$8.01 €6.90

-9.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 RON 42.34

$15.52 €13.37

-39.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.32

$2.29 €1.98

-48.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 RON 6.66

$1.64 €1.41

-10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.07

$1.94 €1.67

-30.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.93

$2.51 €2.17

-21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.47

$1.79 €1.54

-56.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$2.01 €1.73

-52.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$1.97 €1.69

-61.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.66

$0.84 €0.73

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 RON 26.53

$6.79 €5.85

-13.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 RON 32.01

$5.67 €4.89

24.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.33

$1.39 €1.20

-30.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.21

$3.02 €2.60

-54.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 2.98

$2.27 €1.95

-70.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.06 RON 90.8

$45.44 €39.15

-55.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 RON 3.07

$4.29 €3.70

-84.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.72

$0.85 €0.73

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 RON 25.57

$18.28 €15.75

-69.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.99 €1.71

-22.11%

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

$25.3K RON 114.4K

$35.0K €30.2K

-27.80%

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

$27.0K RON 122.1K

$39.5K €34.1K

-31.76%

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

$144 RON 651

$146 €126

-1.54%

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

$6.74 RON 30.50

$20.45 €17.62

-67.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.76 RON 44.16

$38.98 €33.58

-74.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 RON 185

$48.98 €42.21

-16.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.23 RON 87.0

$18.83 €16.22

2.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 RON 32.18

$9.52 €8.21

-25.32%

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

$421 RON 1,904

$608 €524

-30.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,811 RON 30.8K

$16.5K €14.2K

-58.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.9 RON 375

$104 €89.5

-20.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.27 RON 196

$42.12 €36.29

2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 RON 333

$92.2 €79.5

-20.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 452

$120 €103

-16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,731

$1,621 €1,397

-76.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,322

$1,268 €1,092

-76.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 RON 2,652

$3,048 €2,626

-80.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,988

$2,009 €1,731

-78.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 RON 7,800

$7,663 €6,602

-77.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,171 RON 5,297

$4,329 €3,730

-72.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$781 RON 3,533

$1,585 €1,366

-50.71%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Mangalia and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 103% 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: $42.00 in Mangalia vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $269 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 ($1,043 vs $2,263 including rent). Mangalia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 103% less. 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: $383 in Mangalia versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $421 in Mangalia versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,043 in Mangalia versus $2,263 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.