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: $349 in Manzini versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $523 in Manzini versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $697 in Manzini versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Manzini costs roughly 85% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manzini is 75% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.92

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

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

$2.45 €2.11

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 SZL 20.08

$1.24 €1.07

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 SZL 15.08

$1.98 €1.71

-53.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 SZL 29.43

$1.52 €1.31

19.74%

Eggs

$1.17 SZL 18.90

$4.04 €3.49

-71.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.25 SZL 117

$13.54 €11.68

-46.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 SZL 49.77

$8.39 €7.23

-63.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.91 SZL 30.91

$18.25 €15.74

-89.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 SZL 23.11

$2.29 €1.97

-37.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 SZL 9.55

$1.74 €1.50

-66.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 SZL 13.47

$1.86 €1.60

-55.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 SZL 7.68

$2.63 €2.27

-81.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 SZL 9.68

$1.92 €1.65

-68.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 SZL 8.25

$2.09 €1.81

-75.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 SZL 6.69

$1.44 €1.24

-71.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SZL 10.59

$0.84 €0.73

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 SZL 50.8

$6.78 €5.85

-53.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.44 SZL 55.6

$5.71 €4.93

-39.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 SZL 10.35

$1.38 €1.19

-53.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 SZL 13.54

$2.22 €1.91

-62.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 SZL 10.26

$2.40 €2.07

-73.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.35

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.25

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 SZL 21.63

$2.32 €2.00

-42.24%

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

$17.2K SZL 278.2K

$35.3K €30.5K

-51.27%

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

$16.2K SZL 262.2K

$41.4K €35.7K

-60.84%

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

$73.8 SZL 1,192

$170 €147

-56.68%

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

$12.36 SZL 200

$19.34 €16.68

-36.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.80 SZL 498

$33.64 €29.01

-8.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.48

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$3.68 SZL 59.4

$9.92 €8.56

-62.90%

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

$717 €619

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.49

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$171 SZL 2,762

$1,677 €1,446

-89.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 SZL 1,757

$1,271 €1,096

-91.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 SZL 5,949

$2,985 €2,574

-87.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 SZL 4,476

$1,992 €1,718

-86.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,750

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,017

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 SZL 6,619

$1,583 €1,365

-74.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

163.85%

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

Last update for Manzini: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $171 in Manzini and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 286% 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 563% in total monthly costs ($349 vs $2,316 including rent). Manzini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 286% 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: $171 in Manzini versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 141% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $349 per month in Manzini versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 563% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $349 in Manzini versus $2,316 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 563% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.