Cost of Living Comparison Between Masaya and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Masaya and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in Masaya versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Masaya versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,729 in Masaya versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Masaya costs roughly 65% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masaya is 43% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 NIO 369

$17.55 €15.12

-42.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.77 NIO 1,347

$64.5 €55.6

-42.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 NIO 280

$11.65 €10.04

-34.25%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 92.1

$3.26 €2.81

-23.01%

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

$0.83 NIO 30.34

$2.49 €2.15

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NIO 26.40

$1.67 €1.44

-56.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.9

$3.47 €2.99

-58.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 71.9

$3.58 €3.08

-45.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.27

$1.18 €1.02

5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 NIO 83.9

$1.95 €1.68

17.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NIO 62.5

$1.56 €1.35

9.62%

Eggs

$2.36 NIO 86.5

$4.01 €3.46

-41.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 NIO 421

$13.27 €11.44

-13.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 NIO 239

$8.42 €7.26

-22.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 NIO 268

$18.23 €15.72

-59.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 NIO 133

$2.32 €2.00

56.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NIO 21.04

$1.73 €1.49

-67.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.0

$1.93 €1.67

-9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.9

$2.64 €2.27

-17.42%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 NIO 147

$1.90 €1.64

112.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$2.11 €1.82

7.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.97

$1.44 €1.24

-29.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.11

$0.80 €0.69

33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.1

$7.01 €6.04

-61.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 NIO 534

$5.92 €5.11

146.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.36 €1.18

7.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NIO 85.9

$2.15 €1.85

9.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 NIO 60.4

$4.19 €3.61

-60.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NIO 61.2

$1.10 €0.95

51.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 NIO 251

$17.26 €14.88

-60.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 NIO 48.65

$2.25 €1.94

-40.89%

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

$23.2K NIO 849.3K

$34.5K €29.7K

-32.72%

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

$26.1K NIO 955.3K

$41.6K €35.9K

-37.33%

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

$117 NIO 4,283

$171 €147

-31.56%

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

$16.75 NIO 613

$19.01 €16.38

-11.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.65 NIO 1,342

$34.28 €29.55

6.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$8.33 NIO 305

$10.10 €8.71

-17.52%

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

$237 NIO 8,673

$699 €603

-66.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,955 NIO 218.1K

$17.8K €15.3K

-66.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,607

$105 €90.2

-31.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.1 NIO 2,642

$47.97 €41.35

50.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NIO 4,935

$102 €87.8

32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,904

$128 €111

-16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

3.78

171.16%

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

Last update for Masaya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $37.00 in Masaya vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $281 per month, with Masaya 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

Masaya vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masaya and Lisbon differ by about 187% in total monthly costs ($790 vs $2,268 including rent). Masaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,185 in Masaya and $3,402 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $790 per month in Masaya versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $790 in Masaya versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masaya but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Masaya 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, Masaya 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 Masaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 187% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.