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: $864 in Matagalpa versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,292 in Matagalpa versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in Matagalpa versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Matagalpa costs roughly 62% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matagalpa is 35% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 NIO 180

$16.19 €14.17

-69.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.19 NIO 923

$63.3 €55.4

-60.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.15 NIO 262

$10.32 €9.03

-30.72%

Cappuccino

$2.34 NIO 85.8

$2.83 €2.48

-17.31%

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

$0.78 NIO 28.54

$2.29 €2.00

-65.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 NIO 15.82

$1.58 €1.38

-72.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 NIO 43.27

$3.40 €2.98

-65.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NIO 72.4

$4.03 €3.52

-50.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 NIO 42.35

$1.09 €0.95

6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 NIO 56.3

$1.75 €1.53

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 NIO 57.2

$1.76 €1.54

-11.36%

Eggs

$2.23 NIO 81.8

$3.17 €2.77

-29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.96 NIO 71.8

$13.19 €11.54

-85.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 NIO 157

$7.97 €6.97

-46.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 NIO 245

$15.53 €13.59

-56.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 NIO 140

$2.37 €2.07

61.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 NIO 32.59

$1.71 €1.49

-47.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 NIO 64.3

$2.01 €1.76

-12.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 NIO 83.5

$2.43 €2.13

-6.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 NIO 41.15

$1.76 €1.54

-36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NIO 82.1

$2.03 €1.78

10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 NIO 26.79

$1.92 €1.68

-61.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NIO 37.38

$0.85 €0.74

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 NIO 100.0

$6.58 €5.76

-58.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.06 NIO 369

$5.58 €4.88

80.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 NIO 44.37

$1.33 €1.17

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NIO 83.4

$2.97 €2.60

-23.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 NIO 16.63

$2.28 €1.99

-80.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 NIO 31.55

$4.23 €3.70

-79.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 NIO 34.01

$0.81 €0.71

14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 NIO 244

$18.44 €16.13

-63.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 NIO 49.60

$2.08 €1.82

-35.10%

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

$23.2K NIO 851.5K

$34.7K €30.3K

-32.94%

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

$26.6K NIO 975.3K

$39.2K €34.3K

-31.99%

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

$53.4 NIO 1,956

$148 €130

-63.93%

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

$16.87 NIO 618

$20.46 €17.90

-17.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.28 NIO 1,329

$39.56 €34.61

-8.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$8.08 NIO 296

$9.22 €8.07

-12.36%

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

$101 NIO 3,697

$616 €539

-83.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,054 NIO 221.7K

$16.4K €14.4K

-63.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 NIO 2,838

$103 €89.9

-24.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.4 NIO 2,688

$41.74 €36.52

75.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,867

$94.8 €82.9

40.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,910

$122 €107

-12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$155 NIO 5,675

$1,633 €1,428

-90.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 NIO 9,669

$1,232 €1,078

-78.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 NIO 20.4K

$3,098 €2,711

-82.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 NIO 14.0K

$2,031 €1,777

-81.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$99.0 NIO 3,626

$1,607 €1,406

-93.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

3.81

169.03%

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

Last update for Matagalpa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $155 in Matagalpa and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1523% 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 $186 vs $267 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 165% in total monthly costs ($864 vs $2,291 including rent). Matagalpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1523% 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: $155 in Matagalpa versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $864 per month in Matagalpa versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 165% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $864 in Matagalpa versus $2,291 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 165% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.