Cost of Living Comparison Between Matagalpa and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Matagalpa and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Matagalpa versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Matagalpa versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,648 in Matagalpa versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Matagalpa is 41% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.06 NIO 259

$17.30 €14.87

-59.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.72 NIO 905

$63.3 €54.4

-60.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 NIO 285

$11.39 €9.79

-31.61%

Cappuccino

$2.54 NIO 93.0

$3.19 €2.74

-20.38%

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

$0.81 NIO 29.53

$2.45 €2.10

-66.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 NIO 17.03

$1.76 €1.52

-73.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 NIO 43.46

$3.59 €3.09

-66.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 NIO 72.3

$3.39 €2.92

-41.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.45

$1.24 €1.06

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 NIO 46.77

$1.98 €1.71

-35.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 NIO 62.4

$1.52 €1.31

11.84%

Eggs

$2.33 NIO 85.3

$4.04 €3.47

-42.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.66 NIO 97.3

$13.54 €11.64

-80.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 NIO 151

$8.39 €7.21

-50.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 NIO 249

$18.25 €15.69

-62.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 NIO 133

$2.29 €1.97

58.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 NIO 21.47

$1.74 €1.50

-66.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 64.7

$1.86 €1.60

-4.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.8

$2.63 €2.26

-17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 NIO 144

$1.92 €1.65

105.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 NIO 82.6

$2.09 €1.80

7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.78

$1.44 €1.24

-30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NIO 39.45

$0.84 €0.72

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 NIO 98.4

$6.78 €5.83

-60.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 NIO 363

$5.71 €4.91

73.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NIO 45.80

$1.38 €1.18

-9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NIO 82.6

$2.22 €1.91

1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NIO 8.24

$2.40 €2.06

-90.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 NIO 39.59

$4.17 €3.59

-74.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 NIO 46.48

$1.14 €0.98

11.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 NIO 242

$17.68 €15.20

-62.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 48.00

$2.32 €2.00

-43.53%

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

$22.7K NIO 829.7K

$35.3K €30.4K

-35.89%

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

$26.0K NIO 953.3K

$41.4K €35.6K

-37.19%

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

$60.3 NIO 2,209

$170 €146

-64.59%

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

$17.06 NIO 625

$19.34 €16.62

-11.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.51 NIO 1,337

$33.64 €28.92

8.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 NIO 304

$9.92 €8.53

-16.33%

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

$237 NIO 8,676

$717 €617

-66.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,112 NIO 223.9K

$17.5K €15.0K

-65.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 NIO 2,615

$105 €90.1

-31.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.0 NIO 2,674

$46.95 €40.36

55.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NIO 4,948

$103 €88.9

30.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NIO 3,893

$124 €107

-14.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 NIO 7,226

$1,677 €1,441

-88.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 NIO 6,486

$1,271 €1,093

-86.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 NIO 11.2K

$2,985 €2,566

-89.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 NIO 9,192

$1,992 €1,713

-87.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 NIO 7,336

$1,583 €1,361

-87.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

3.79

170.45%

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

Last update for Matagalpa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in Matagalpa and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 690% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Matagalpa vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $283 per month, with Matagalpa 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

Matagalpa vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matagalpa and Lisbon differ by about 187% in total monthly costs ($806 vs $2,316 including rent). Matagalpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 690% 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: $197 in Matagalpa versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $806 per month in Matagalpa versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $806 in Matagalpa versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Matagalpa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Matagalpa 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, Matagalpa 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 Matagalpa 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.