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: $1,111 in Mangalia versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,710 in Mangalia versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,309 in Mangalia versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Mangalia costs roughly 52% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mangalia is 19% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.16 RON 55.7

$17.59 €15.31

-30.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.26 RON 226

$62.9 €54.7

-21.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 RON 36.97

$11.58 €10.08

-30.31%

Cappuccino

$3.15 RON 14.44

$3.10 €2.70

1.61%

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

$2.14 RON 9.82

$2.49 €2.17

-14.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 RON 10.30

$1.74 €1.52

29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 RON 11.81

$3.48 €3.03

-25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 RON 15.90

$3.44 €3.00

0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.74

$1.15 €1.00

46.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.91 €1.66

-36.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.44

$1.50 €1.31

8.67%

Eggs

$3.26 RON 14.94

$3.98 €3.47

-18.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 RON 36.15

$13.29 €11.57

-40.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 31.58

$8.01 €6.97

-13.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 RON 46.02

$18.04 €15.70

-44.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 RON 6.22

$2.35 €2.05

-42.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.22

$1.75 €1.52

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.92

$1.85 €1.61

-18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 RON 9.31

$2.55 €2.22

-20.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 RON 3.74

$1.84 €1.60

-55.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$2.10 €1.83

-64.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$1.49 €1.29

-52.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RON 3.84

$0.82 €0.71

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 RON 30.31

$7.10 €6.18

-6.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 RON 31.97

$5.91 €5.14

18.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.76

$1.31 €1.14

-20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 RON 6.73

$2.13 €1.86

-30.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.12

$2.36 €2.05

-71.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.51 RON 103

$46.62 €40.57

-51.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 RON 3.13

$4.08 €3.55

-83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 RON 3.12

$1.14 €0.99

-40.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 RON 30.95

$17.09 €14.88

-60.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 RON 8.63

$2.31 €2.01

-18.61%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$34.1K €29.7K

-15.02%

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

$25.9K RON 118.6K

$41.4K €36.0K

-37.40%

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

$163 RON 747

$169 €147

-3.27%

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

$6.54 RON 29.96

$19.33 €16.83

-66.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.33 RON 42.74

$33.51 €29.17

-72.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.71 RON 182

$48.84 €42.51

-18.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 RON 103

$19.43 €16.92

15.23%

Cinema Ticket

$8.94 RON 40.96

$9.57 €8.33

-6.58%

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

$415 RON 1,903

$696 €606

-40.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,106 RON 28.0K

$17.4K €15.1K

-64.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 RON 356

$105 €91.7

-26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.17 RON 207

$47.75 €41.56

-5.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 RON 432

$101 €87.5

-6.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 RON 466

$124 €108

-18.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 RON 1,848

$1,662 €1,446

-75.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 RON 1,511

$1,246 €1,085

-73.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 RON 3,080

$2,965 €2,580

-77.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 RON 1,859

$2,049 €1,783

-80.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,903 RON 8,716

$7,834 €6,819

-75.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 RON 7,030

$4,464 €3,886

-65.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 RON 3,489

$1,632 €1,420

-53.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.85

3.78

107.67%

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

Last update for Mangalia: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Mangalia and $1,662 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: $49.00 in Mangalia vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $277 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 107% in total monthly costs ($1,111 vs $2,296 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: $403 in Mangalia versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $415 in Mangalia versus $696 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,111 in Mangalia versus $2,296 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 107% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.