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: $747 in Mbabane versus $2,203 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Mbabane versus $3,237 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,700 in Mbabane versus $4,272 in Lisbon.

Living in Mbabane costs roughly 66% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mbabane is 44% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.27 SZL 171

$17.01 €15.19

-39.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.04 SZL 565

$62.7 €56.0

-45.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 SZL 95.3

$11.42 €10.19

-49.74%

Cappuccino

$2.62 SZL 43.48

$3.09 €2.76

-15.21%

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

$1.12 SZL 18.55

$2.37 €2.11

-52.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 SZL 10.29

$1.66 €1.48

-62.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SZL 35.84

$3.46 €3.09

-37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SZL 40.76

$3.29 €2.93

-25.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SZL 25.48

$1.17 €1.04

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SZL 13.44

$1.87 €1.67

-56.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 SZL 29.04

$1.52 €1.36

15.13%

Eggs

$1.78 SZL 29.54

$3.88 €3.46

-54.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 SZL 183

$12.87 €11.49

-14.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 SZL 93.0

$7.94 €7.08

-29.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 SZL 82.6

$17.63 €15.73

-71.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 SZL 28.93

$2.26 €2.01

-23.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 SZL 10.45

$1.76 €1.57

-64.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 SZL 20.71

$1.88 €1.68

-33.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SZL 23.35

$2.47 €2.21

-42.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SZL 20.72

$1.86 €1.66

-32.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 SZL 24.66

$2.07 €1.85

-28.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 SZL 11.83

$1.39 €1.24

-48.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 SZL 12.66

$0.81 €0.73

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 SZL 47.26

$6.89 €6.15

-58.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 SZL 98.5

$5.53 €4.93

7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SZL 25.29

$1.33 €1.19

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 SZL 27.79

$2.17 €1.93

-23.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 SZL 12.27

$2.24 €2.00

-66.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.14 €40.29

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 €3.57

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 SZL 22.97

$1.07 €0.95

28.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 SZL 50.4

$16.53 €14.75

-81.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 SZL 21.13

$2.26 €2.02

-43.81%

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

$33.5K €29.9K

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

$40.5K €36.1K

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

$64.0 SZL 1,063

$164 €146

-60.85%

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

$38.40 SZL 638

$18.54 €16.55

107.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.97 SZL 448

$33.21 €29.64

-18.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.61 SZL 375

$46.01 €41.07

-50.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.04 SZL 50.5

$18.80 €16.78

-83.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 SZL 60.6

$9.47 €8.45

-61.46%

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

$690 €616

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,330 SZL 105.1K

$16.9K €15.1K

-62.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.21 SZL 585

$105 €93.4

-66.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.80 SZL 246

$45.27 €40.41

-67.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 SZL 1,147

$99.0 €88.3

-30.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 SZL 884

$124 €111

-57.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 SZL 4,439

$1,583 €1,413

-83.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 SZL 2,971

$1,209 €1,079

-85.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SZL 7,386

$2,833 €2,529

-84.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 SZL 5,763

$1,964 €1,753

-82.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$473 SZL 7,852

$7,643 €6,822

-93.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$359 SZL 5,959

$4,431 €3,955

-91.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,573 €1,404

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.25

3.79

91.29%

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

Last update for Mbabane: October 3, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $267 in Mbabane and $1,583 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Mbabane vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $272 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 195% in total monthly costs ($747 vs $2,203 including rent). Mbabane is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,121 in Mbabane and $3,304 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $267 in Mbabane versus $1,583 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mbabane – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $747 per month in Mbabane versus $2,203 in Lisbon – a 195% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $747 in Mbabane versus $2,203 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 195% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.