Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzini and Big Bend

For one person, living is cheaper in Manzini: $360 a month against $714 in Big Bend, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Big Bend
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Big Bend Living Index

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Manzini

🇸🇿 Eswatini

$360

/mo nomad

Big Bend

🇸🇿 Eswatini

$714

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manzini and in Big Bend

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manzini and in Big Bend actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $360 per month in Manzini vs $714 in Big Bend, rent included.

Manzini $360
Big Bend $714

A couple spends around $386 per month in Manzini vs $1,413 in Big Bend, rent included.

Manzini $386
Big Bend $1,413

A family of three spends $412 per month in Manzini vs $2,112 in Big Bend, rent included.

Manzini $412
Big Bend $2,112

Manzini is about 50% cheaper than Big Bend, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manzini and Big Bend are more affordable than the global median – Manzini 73% lower, Big Bend 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 SZL 63.0

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.72 SZL 440

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 SZL 83.0

Cappuccino

$1.54 SZL 25.33

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

$0.76 SZL 12.50

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 SZL 7.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 SZL 25.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SZL 26.98

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 SZL 20.61

$1.22 SZL 20.16

2.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SZL 15.14

$0.82 SZL 13.50

12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 SZL 30.67

$1.60 SZL 26.29

16.25%

Eggs

$1.14 SZL 18.80

$4.66 SZL 76.7

-75.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 SZL 122

$18.02 SZL 297

-58.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 SZL 48.26

$11.87 SZL 195

-75.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.85 SZL 30.52

$4.76 SZL 78.4

-61.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 SZL 22.72

$4.13 SZL 67.9

-66.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 SZL 10.35

$0.62 SZL 10.17

1.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 SZL 12.55

$1.78 SZL 29.23

-57.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 SZL 7.65

$1.24 SZL 20.36

-62.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 SZL 10.13

$2.49 SZL 41.02

-75.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 SZL 8.27

$2.11 SZL 34.73

-76.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 SZL 6.75

$0.87 SZL 14.31

-52.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SZL 11.45

$0.95 SZL 15.58

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 SZL 48.84

$5.86 SZL 96.4

-49.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.34 SZL 55.1

$3.65 SZL 60.1

-8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SZL 9.68

$0.62 SZL 10.24

-4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 SZL 13.41

$0.87 SZL 14.37

-5.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 SZL 9.71

$1.19 SZL 19.56

-50.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.39 SZL 401

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 SZL 30.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 SZL 24.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 SZL 58.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 SZL 22.19

$1.07 SZL 17.54

26.17%

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

$16.6K SZL 273.3K

$12.1K SZL 198.4K

37.77%

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

$15.5K SZL 255.3K

$18.4K SZL 302.8K

-15.69%

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

$72.5 SZL 1,193

$130 SZL 2,147

-44.43%

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

$11.91 SZL 196

$24.30 SZL 400

-50.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 SZL 503

$24.31 SZL 400

25.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.94 SZL 295

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.37 SZL 38.93

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 SZL 61.5

$3.04 SZL 50.0

23.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.81 SZL 606

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.08 SZL 396

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.73 SZL 604

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.8 SZL 902

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 SZL 2,968

$110 SZL 1,805

64.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 SZL 1,959

$74.0 SZL 1,217

60.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 SZL 17.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 SZL 12.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$193 SZL 3,171

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$143 SZL 2,347

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$482 SZL 7,928

$776 SZL 12.8K

-37.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.11%

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

Last update for Manzini: October 12, 2026

Last update for Big Bend: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Manzini

–

Big Bend

$250 35%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manzini

–

Big Bend

$179 25.1%

Eating Out

Manzini

–

Big Bend

$80 11.2%

Accommodation & Living

Manzini

–

Big Bend

$74 10.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Manzini

–

Big Bend

$69 9.6%

Getting Around

Manzini

–

Big Bend

$38 5.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Manzini

–

Big Bend

$24 3.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $180 in Manzini versus $110 in Big Bend. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 61% higher in Big Bend, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇸🇿 Manzini

🇸🇿 Big Bend

🕒 Local time

10:26 10:26 AM

Same time as Manzini

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,508

6,433

💱 Currency

Eswatini Lilangeni SZL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 SZL = 6.08 USD

100 SZL = 5.4 EUR

100 SZL = 6.08 USD

100 SZL = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Manzini Big Bend 65 km

From you

Manzini
Big Bend

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Manzini vs Big Bend: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $360 in Manzini, $714 in Big Bend – roughly 98% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $540 per month in Manzini and $1,070 in Big Bend. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manzini, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $360 in Manzini and $714 in Big Bend. That's a gap of about 98%.

Groceries cost about 114% more in Big Bend, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $360 in Manzini and $714 in Big Bend, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Manzini – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manzini. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Big Bend makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.