Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Manizales versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,089 in Manizales versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Manizales versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Manizales costs roughly 67% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manizales is 44% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 COP 11.7K

$15.75 €13.64

-76.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.25 COP 54.3K

$63.5 €55.0

-72.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 COP 24.0K

$10.45 €9.05

-27.18%

Cappuccino

$1.34 COP 4,231

$2.91 €2.52

-53.95%

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

$0.73 COP 2,310

$2.29 €1.98

-68.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 COP 1,631

$1.50 €1.30

-65.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 COP 3,532

$3.56 €3.09

-68.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 6,660

$3.96 €3.43

-46.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 COP 3,263

$1.08 €0.94

-3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 COP 4,437

$1.76 €1.53

-19.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,519

$1.70 €1.47

-34.12%

Eggs

$2.00 COP 6,282

$3.25 €2.81

-38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.87 COP 15.3K

$13.25 €11.47

-63.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 COP 15.9K

$7.70 €6.67

-34.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 COP 23.0K

$15.77 €13.66

-53.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 COP 9,318

$2.28 €1.97

29.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,254

$1.66 €1.43

-37.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,304

$2.02 €1.75

-32.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 COP 4,055

$2.47 €2.14

-47.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,507

$1.79 €1.55

-37.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,524

$2.07 €1.79

-45.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 COP 2,423

$1.97 €1.71

-60.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,613

$0.83 €0.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 COP 7,705

$6.55 €5.68

-62.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 COP 33.8K

$5.57 €4.82

92.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,500

$1.33 €1.15

-16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,065

$3.01 €2.60

-35.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,106

$2.27 €1.97

-70.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 COP 85.2K

$46.35 €40.14

-41.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 COP 3,705

$4.23 €3.66

-72.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 COP 4,025

$0.85 €0.73

50.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 COP 19.6K

$18.83 €16.31

-66.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,174

$2.02 €1.75

-50.00%

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

$15.8K COP 49.6M

$35.0K €30.3K

-54.91%

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

$25.5K COP 80.4M

$39.6K €34.3K

-35.57%

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

$60.2 COP 189.4K

$148 €128

-59.34%

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

$9.03 COP 28.4K

$20.52 €17.77

-55.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.94 COP 78.5K

$39.52 €34.23

-36.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.66 COP 87.1K

$48.17 €41.72

-42.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.02 COP 59.9K

$18.39 €15.92

3.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 COP 10.1K

$9.10 €7.88

-64.73%

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

$243 COP 764.3K

$615 €532

-60.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,515 COP 26.8M

$16.3K €14.1K

-47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.22 COP 117.2K

$102 €88.0

-63.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.93 COP 97.4K

$42.09 €36.45

-26.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 COP 201.3K

$92.3 €79.9

-30.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 COP 188.0K

$122 €106

-51.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 COP 824.7K

$1,612 €1,396

-83.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 705.1K

$1,254 €1,086

-82.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 COP 1.3M

$3,069 €2,658

-86.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 COP 936.8K

$2,037 €1,764

-85.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,819 COP 5.7M

$7,751 €6,712

-76.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,630 COP 5.1M

$4,286 €3,712

-61.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 COP 2.9M

$1,602 €1,387

-43.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

188.71%

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

Last update for Manizales: July 28, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Manizales and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 77% 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: $17.00 in Manizales vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $267 per month, with Manizales 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

Manizales vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manizales and Lisbon differ by about 207% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $2,280 including rent). Manizales is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% 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: $262 in Manizales versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 in Manizales 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 47% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $742 in Manizales versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manizales but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Manizales 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, Manizales 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 Manizales gentler on the wallet – expenses run 207% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.