Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,989 in Manukau versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,995 in Manukau versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,001 in Manukau versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Manukau costs roughly 13% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manukau 45% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.50 NZ$25.35

$17.59 €15.33

-17.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 NZ$121

$62.9 €54.8

10.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 NZ$15.06

$11.58 €10.10

-25.65%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$6.08

$3.10 €2.70

12.26%

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

$2.09 NZ$3.65

$2.49 €2.17

-16.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.17

$1.74 €1.52

4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.59

$3.48 €3.03

106.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 NZ$11.96

$3.44 €3.00

98.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.30

$1.15 €1.00

64.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.86

$1.91 €1.66

15.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.40

$1.50 €1.31

30.00%

Eggs

$4.53 NZ$7.93

$3.98 €3.47

13.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 NZ$15.39

$13.29 €11.59

-33.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.57

$8.01 €6.98

25.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 NZ$30.82

$18.04 €15.73

-2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$5.07

$2.35 €2.05

23.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.77

$1.75 €1.53

23.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.45

$1.85 €1.62

68.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 NZ$9.66

$2.55 €2.22

116.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 NZ$1.75

$1.84 €1.61

-45.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.91

$2.10 €1.83

-20.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.46

$1.49 €1.30

32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$0.82 €0.71

37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.23 NZ$49.36

$7.10 €6.19

297.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 NZ$18.19

$5.91 €5.15

75.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 NZ$4.88

$1.31 €1.15

112.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 NZ$5.91

$2.13 €1.86

58.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 NZ$3.05

$2.36 €2.05

-25.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 NZ$159

$46.62 €40.63

95.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 NZ$3.95

$4.08 €3.55

-44.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

$1.14 €0.99

72.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.32 NZ$58.2

$17.09 €14.90

94.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.88

$2.31 €2.01

-28.57%

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

$26.3K NZ$46.1K

$34.1K €29.7K

-22.81%

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

$23.1K NZ$40.4K

$41.4K €36.1K

-44.12%

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

$185 NZ$324

$169 €147

9.96%

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

$27.84 NZ$48.67

$19.33 €16.85

44.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 NZ$88.9

$33.51 €29.21

51.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.56 NZ$65.7

$48.84 €42.57

-23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$13.33 NZ$23.30

$9.57 €8.34

39.29%

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

$1,148 NZ$2,007

$696 €607

64.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K NZ$34.8K

$17.4K €15.1K

14.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 NZ$142

$105 €91.8

-22.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.73 NZ$71.2

$47.75 €41.62

-14.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 NZ$119

$101 €87.6

-32.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$198

$124 €108

-8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 NZ$1,629

$1,662 €1,449

-43.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,476

$1,246 €1,086

-32.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 NZ$2,943

$2,965 €2,584

-43.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 NZ$2,654

$2,049 €1,786

-25.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,525 NZ$7,910

$7,834 €6,829

-42.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 NZ$6,220

$4,464 €3,892

-20.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 NZ$3,159

$1,632 €1,422

10.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

3.78

42.86%

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

Last update for Manukau: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $932 in Manukau and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manukau pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Manukau vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $277 per month, with Lisbon 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

Manukau vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manukau and Lisbon differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,989 vs $2,296 including rent). Manukau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Manukau, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $932 in Manukau versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,148 in Manukau versus $696 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,989 in Manukau versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Manukau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Manukau 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, Manukau 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 Manukau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.