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: $855 in Matagalpa versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,273 in Matagalpa versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,690 in Matagalpa versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Matagalpa costs roughly 61% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matagalpa is 36% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.98 NIO 182

$15.91 €13.69

-68.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.36 NIO 929

$64.8 €55.7

-60.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 NIO 251

$10.51 €9.04

-34.92%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NIO 86.0

$2.87 €2.47

-18.12%

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

$0.79 NIO 29.11

$2.24 €1.93

-64.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 NIO 17.18

$1.50 €1.29

-68.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 NIO 45.12

$3.49 €3.00

-64.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 73.9

$3.88 €3.34

-47.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 NIO 43.48

$1.14 €0.98

4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.75 €1.51

-16.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 NIO 59.9

$1.76 €1.51

-6.82%

Eggs

$2.26 NIO 82.9

$3.22 €2.77

-29.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.90 NIO 69.7

$13.49 €11.61

-85.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 NIO 151

$7.91 €6.81

-47.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 NIO 249

$15.87 €13.65

-57.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 146

$2.31 €1.99

73.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.59

$1.70 €1.46

-50.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 NIO 67.6

$2.01 €1.73

-8.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$2.46 €2.12

-8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 NIO 39.89

$1.84 €1.59

-40.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.4

$2.00 €1.72

9.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 NIO 24.87

$1.93 €1.66

-64.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 NIO 35.61

$0.79 €0.68

22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 NIO 100

$6.61 €5.68

-58.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 NIO 371

$5.72 €4.92

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NIO 45.50

$1.37 €1.17

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NIO 79.0

$2.97 €2.56

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 NIO 18.06

$2.37 €2.04

-79.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 NIO 32.98

$4.29 €3.69

-79.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 NIO 33.53

$0.82 €0.70

12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 NIO 244

$18.30 €15.74

-63.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 47.97

$2.06 €1.78

-36.41%

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

$22.8K NIO 834.0K

$34.3K €29.5K

-33.57%

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

$26.6K NIO 973.2K

$39.3K €33.8K

-32.37%

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

$52.4 NIO 1,918

$148 €127

-64.58%

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

$17.25 NIO 632

$20.52 €17.65

-15.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.02 NIO 1,283

$39.61 €34.08

-11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 NIO 287

$9.18 €7.90

-14.81%

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

$98.7 NIO 3,616

$614 €528

-83.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,013 NIO 220.2K

$16.0K €13.8K

-62.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 NIO 2,834

$105 €90.0

-26.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.4 NIO 2,614

$42.06 €36.18

69.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NIO 4,799

$94.0 €80.8

39.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,951

$120 €103

-9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 NIO 5,739

$1,628 €1,400

-90.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 NIO 9,511

$1,255 €1,080

-79.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 NIO 19.9K

$3,030 €2,607

-82.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 NIO 13.7K

$2,020 €1,738

-81.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$101 NIO 3,717

$1,603 €1,379

-93.67%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Matagalpa and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1480% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $269 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 158% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $2,210 including rent). Matagalpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 1480% less. 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: $157 in Matagalpa versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Matagalpa versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $855 in Matagalpa versus $2,210 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 158% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.