Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzini and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzini and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $324 in Manzini versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $485 in Manzini versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $645 in Manzini versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Manzini costs roughly 86% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manzini is 76% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.15

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.02

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

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

$2.29 €2.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 SZL 19.31

$1.09 €0.95

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 SZL 14.52

$1.75 €1.53

-49.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 SZL 28.39

$1.76 €1.54

-2.27%

Eggs

$1.06 SZL 17.40

$3.17 €2.77

-66.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 SZL 112

$13.19 €11.53

-48.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 SZL 45.04

$7.97 €6.96

-65.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.69 SZL 27.86

$15.53 €13.57

-89.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 SZL 20.20

$2.37 €2.07

-48.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 SZL 9.66

$1.71 €1.49

-65.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 SZL 11.70

$2.01 €1.75

-64.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 SZL 7.63

$2.43 €2.12

-81.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 SZL 8.96

$1.76 €1.54

-69.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 SZL 7.59

$2.03 €1.78

-77.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SZL 6.17

$1.92 €1.68

-80.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SZL 10.43

$0.85 €0.74

-25.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 SZL 45.66

$6.58 €5.75

-57.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.38 SZL 55.7

$5.58 €4.87

-39.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SZL 8.77

$1.33 €1.16

-60.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 SZL 11.66

$2.97 €2.60

-76.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 SZL 9.62

$2.28 €1.99

-74.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 SZL 20.67

$2.08 €1.82

-39.42%

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

$15.7K SZL 258.6K

$34.7K €30.3K

-54.69%

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

$14.7K SZL 241.9K

$39.2K €34.2K

-62.48%

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

$67.3 SZL 1,108

$148 €129

-54.55%

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

$11.36 SZL 187

$20.46 €17.88

-44.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.52 SZL 453

$39.56 €34.56

-30.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 SZL 55.9

$9.22 €8.06

-63.23%

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

$616 €538

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 SZL 2,533

$1,633 €1,426

-90.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.2 SZL 1,601

$1,232 €1,077

-92.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 SZL 5,574

$3,098 €2,707

-89.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 SZL 4,128

$2,031 €1,775

-87.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 SZL 6,559

$1,607 €1,404

-75.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

162.47%

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

Last update for Manzini: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $154 in Manzini and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 303% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manzini and Lisbon differ by about 606% in total monthly costs ($324 vs $2,291 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 303% 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: $154 in Manzini versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 147% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $324 per month in Manzini versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 606% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $324 in Manzini versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manzini but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Manzini 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, Manzini 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 Manzini gentler on the wallet – expenses run 606% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.