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: $767 in Mbabane versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,231 in Mbabane versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,696 in Mbabane versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Mbabane costs roughly 67% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mbabane is 44% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 SZL 170

$17.30 €14.92

-39.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.16 SZL 568

$63.3 €54.6

-44.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 SZL 97.9

$11.39 €9.83

-46.80%

Cappuccino

$2.58 SZL 41.64

$3.19 €2.75

-19.12%

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

$1.15 SZL 18.59

$2.45 €2.11

-53.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 SZL 9.47

$1.76 €1.52

-66.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 SZL 35.89

$3.59 €3.10

-38.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SZL 40.58

$3.39 €2.93

-25.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 SZL 25.64

$1.24 €1.07

28.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 SZL 14.49

$1.98 €1.71

-54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 SZL 27.59

$1.52 €1.31

12.50%

Eggs

$1.87 SZL 30.26

$4.04 €3.49

-53.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 SZL 183

$13.54 €11.68

-16.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 SZL 93.6

$8.39 €7.23

-30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.41 SZL 87.4

$18.25 €15.74

-70.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 SZL 30.10

$2.29 €1.97

-18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 SZL 10.49

$1.74 €1.50

-62.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 SZL 20.92

$1.86 €1.60

-30.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SZL 22.73

$2.63 €2.27

-46.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 SZL 21.12

$1.92 €1.65

-31.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SZL 25.14

$2.09 €1.81

-25.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 SZL 11.86

$1.44 €1.24

-49.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 SZL 12.44

$0.84 €0.73

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 SZL 47.80

$6.78 €5.85

-56.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.14 SZL 99.1

$5.71 €4.93

7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SZL 25.27

$1.38 €1.19

13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 SZL 27.14

$2.22 €1.91

-24.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 SZL 11.66

$2.40 €2.07

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.35

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 SZL 23.33

$1.14 €0.98

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 SZL 49.90

$17.68 €15.25

-82.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 SZL 20.36

$2.32 €2.00

-45.69%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

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

$41.4K €35.7K

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

$66.5 SZL 1,074

$170 €147

-60.98%

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

$39.98 SZL 646

$19.34 €16.68

106.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.80 SZL 449

$33.64 €29.01

-17.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.52 SZL 380

$48.10 €41.48

-51.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.02 SZL 48.82

$19.90 €17.16

-84.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 SZL 59.0

$9.92 €8.56

-63.21%

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

$717 €619

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,633 SZL 107.2K

$17.5K €15.1K

-62.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.38 SZL 588

$105 €90.4

-65.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.76 SZL 255

$46.95 €40.49

-66.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 SZL 1,178

$103 €89.2

-29.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 SZL 900

$124 €107

-55.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 SZL 4,541

$1,677 €1,446

-83.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 SZL 2,940

$1,271 €1,096

-85.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 SZL 7,467

$2,985 €2,574

-84.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 SZL 5,771

$1,992 €1,718

-82.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$489 SZL 7,909

$7,826 €6,750

-93.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$373 SZL 6,027

$4,658 €4,017

-91.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,365

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Mbabane and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Mbabane vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $283 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 202% in total monthly costs ($767 vs $2,316 including rent). Mbabane is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,150 in Mbabane and $3,474 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: $281 in Mbabane versus $1,677 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 $35.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $767 per month in Mbabane versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 202% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $767 in Mbabane versus $2,316 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 202% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.