Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbarara and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbarara and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $526 in Mbarara versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $859 in Mbarara versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,192 in Mbarara versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Mbarara costs roughly 76% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mbarara is 61% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 UGX 10.7K

$15.91 €13.69

-82.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.95 UGX 97.6K

$64.8 €55.7

-59.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 UGX 32.4K

$10.51 €9.04

-18.08%

Cappuccino

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

$2.87 €2.47

-4.18%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,919

$2.24 €1.93

-77.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 UGX 1,085

$1.50 €1.29

-80.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 UGX 5,370

$3.49 €3.00

-59.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$3.88 €3.34

-29.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 UGX 2,209

$1.14 €0.98

-48.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 UGX 4,681

$1.75 €1.51

-29.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,063

$1.76 €1.51

-23.30%

Eggs

$1.76 UGX 6,623

$3.22 €2.77

-45.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.30 UGX 16.2K

$13.49 €11.61

-68.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 19.0K

$7.91 €6.81

-36.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.84 UGX 14.4K

$15.87 €13.65

-75.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

$2.31 €1.99

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 UGX 5,720

$1.70 €1.46

-10.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 UGX 6,576

$2.01 €1.73

-12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 UGX 5,729

$2.46 €2.12

-38.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 UGX 6,094

$1.84 €1.59

-11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 UGX 7,001

$2.00 €1.72

-7.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 4,006

$1.93 €1.66

-44.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,021

$0.79 €0.68

-31.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 UGX 11.3K

$6.61 €5.68

-54.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 UGX 32.6K

$5.72 €4.92

51.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 4,427

$1.37 €1.17

-13.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 UGX 8,026

$2.97 €2.56

-28.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 UGX 3,023

$2.37 €2.04

-66.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 UGX 2,019

$4.29 €3.69

-87.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 970

$0.82 €0.70

-68.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 UGX 16.0K

$18.30 €15.74

-76.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 UGX 5,566

$2.06 €1.78

-28.16%

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

$9,126 UGX 34.3M

$34.3K €29.5K

-73.38%

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

$8,592 UGX 32.3M

$39.3K €33.8K

-78.13%

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

$42.83 UGX 161.1K

$148 €127

-71.04%

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

$14.62 UGX 55.0K

$20.52 €17.65

-28.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.24 UGX 166.4K

$39.61 €34.08

11.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.11 UGX 79.4K

$47.85 €41.16

-55.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 UGX 23.8K

$9.18 €7.90

-31.05%

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

$163 UGX 613.4K

$614 €528

-73.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,232 UGX 15.9M

$16.0K €13.8K

-73.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.80 UGX 63.2K

$105 €90.0

-83.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.46 UGX 54.4K

$42.06 €36.18

-65.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.37 UGX 148.0K

$94.0 €80.8

-58.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.76 UGX 179.6K

$120 €103

-60.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$96.6 UGX 363.2K

$1,628 €1,400

-94.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.7 UGX 311.1K

$1,255 €1,080

-93.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 UGX 1.0M

$3,030 €2,607

-91.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 UGX 743.1K

$2,020 €1,738

-90.22%

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)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

3.81

445.93%

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

Last update for Mbarara: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $96.6 in Mbarara and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Mbarara vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $269 per month, with Mbarara 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

Mbarara vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mbarara and Lisbon differ by about 320% in total monthly costs ($526 vs $2,210 including rent). Mbarara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $790 in Mbarara and $3,315 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: $96.6 in Mbarara versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $526 per month in Mbarara versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 320% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Mbarara versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mbarara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mbarara 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, Mbarara 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 Mbarara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 320% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.