Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbabane and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbabane and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Mbabane versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Mbabane versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,604 in Mbabane versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Mbabane costs roughly 68% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mbabane is 45% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 SZL 50.4

$16.19 €14.15

-81.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.45 SZL 468

$63.3 €55.3

-55.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.23 SZL 36.75

$10.32 €9.02

-78.39%

Cappuccino

$1.90 SZL 31.31

$2.83 €2.47

-32.86%

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

$0.93 SZL 15.25

$2.29 €2.00

-59.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 SZL 9.10

$1.58 €1.38

-65.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SZL 27.94

$3.40 €2.97

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SZL 28.19

$4.03 €3.52

-57.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 SZL 17.02

$1.09 €0.95

-5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 SZL 11.97

$1.75 €1.53

-58.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 SZL 20.14

$1.76 €1.54

-30.68%

Eggs

$1.71 SZL 28.09

$3.17 €2.77

-46.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 SZL 151

$13.19 €11.53

-30.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 SZL 80.1

$7.97 €6.96

-39.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.26 SZL 86.6

$15.53 €13.57

-66.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 SZL 24.64

$2.37 €2.07

-36.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 SZL 11.75

$1.71 €1.49

-58.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 SZL 15.79

$2.01 €1.75

-52.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 SZL 22.49

$2.43 €2.12

-43.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 SZL 16.64

$1.76 €1.54

-42.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SZL 21.10

$2.03 €1.78

-36.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 SZL 8.70

$1.92 €1.68

-72.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 SZL 12.54

$0.85 €0.74

-10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 SZL 42.53

$6.58 €5.75

-60.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 SZL 97.6

$5.58 €4.87

6.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SZL 24.51

$1.33 €1.16

12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 SZL 22.76

$2.97 €2.60

-53.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 SZL 18.67

$2.28 €1.99

-50.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.44 SZL 485

$45.79 €40.01

-35.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 SZL 55.8

$4.23 €3.69

-19.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 SZL 43.85

$0.81 €0.71

228.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SZL 56.0

$18.44 €16.11

-81.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 SZL 18.56

$2.08 €1.82

-45.67%

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

$16.9K SZL 278.3K

$34.7K €30.3K

-51.25%

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

$21.3K SZL 350.0K

$39.2K €34.2K

-45.72%

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

$75.8 SZL 1,248

$148 €129

-48.81%

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

$34.48 SZL 568

$20.46 €17.88

68.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 SZL 463

$39.56 €34.56

-28.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.68 SZL 456

$47.99 €41.93

-42.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.00 SZL 82.4

$18.60 €16.25

-73.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 SZL 58.2

$9.22 €8.06

-61.71%

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

$109 SZL 1,787

$616 €538

-82.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,599 SZL 75.7K

$16.4K €14.4K

-72.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.28 SZL 746

$103 €89.7

-55.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.57 SZL 388

$41.74 €36.47

-43.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 SZL 1,178

$94.8 €82.8

-24.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 SZL 1,378

$122 €107

-31.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 SZL 4,325

$1,633 €1,426

-83.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 SZL 2,965

$1,232 €1,077

-85.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 SZL 8,273

$3,098 €2,707

-83.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SZL 6,211

$2,031 €1,775

-81.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$486 SZL 8,007

$7,831 €6,842

-93.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$365 SZL 6,006

$4,389 €3,835

-91.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 SZL 11.1K

$1,607 €1,404

-58.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

3.81

204.99%

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

Last update for Mbabane: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Mbabane and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 139% 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: $28.00 in Mbabane vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $267 per month, with Mbabane 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

Mbabane vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mbabane and Lisbon differ by about 210% in total monthly costs ($739 vs $2,291 including rent). Mbabane is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 139% 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: $263 in Mbabane versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $109 in Mbabane versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $739 in Mbabane versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mbabane but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mbabane 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, Mbabane 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 Mbabane gentler on the wallet – expenses run 210% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.