Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $432 in Mbeya versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $669 in Mbeya versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $905 in Mbeya versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Mbeya costs roughly 80% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mbeya is 68% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.32 TZS 60.1K

$64.8 €55.7

-64.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 TZS 20.5K

$10.51 €9.04

-24.45%

Cappuccino

$1.58 TZS 4,065

$2.87 €2.47

-44.95%

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

$0.41 TZS 1,054

$2.24 €1.93

-81.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 TZS 1,048

$1.50 €1.29

-72.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 TZS 1,896

$3.49 €3.00

-79.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,426

$1.14 €0.98

-51.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 TZS 2,555

$1.75 €1.51

-43.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,576

$1.76 €1.51

-43.18%

Eggs

$2.28 TZS 5,881

$3.22 €2.77

-29.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.92 TZS 10.1K

$13.49 €11.61

-70.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 TZS 9,832

$7.91 €6.81

-51.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.53 TZS 9,101

$15.87 €13.65

-77.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 2,959

$2.31 €1.99

-50.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,048

$1.70 €1.46

-53.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,464

$2.01 €1.73

-52.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TZS 1,908

$2.46 €2.12

-69.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 TZS 2,461

$1.84 €1.59

-48.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 TZS 2,076

$2.00 €1.72

-59.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 TZS 1,430

$1.93 €1.66

-71.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 TZS 1,922

$0.79 €0.68

-5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.19 TZS 3,078

$6.61 €5.68

-82.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.89 TZS 10.0K

$5.72 €4.92

-31.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 TZS 2,075

$1.37 €1.17

-41.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 TZS 3,023

$2.97 €2.56

-60.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 TZS 962

$2.37 €2.04

-84.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 TZS 3,059

$4.29 €3.69

-72.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 TZS 4,540

$0.82 €0.70

114.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 TZS 7,108

$18.30 €15.74

-84.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 TZS 3,263

$2.06 €1.78

-38.35%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$24.83 TZS 64.0K

$148 €127

-83.21%

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

$19.42 TZS 50.1K

$20.52 €17.65

-5.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.89 TZS 118.4K

$39.61 €34.08

15.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.67 TZS 99.7K

$47.85 €41.16

-19.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.49 TZS 24.5K

$9.18 €7.90

3.38%

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

$193 TZS 498.9K

$614 €528

-68.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,179 TZS 3.0M

$16.0K €13.8K

-92.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.44 TZS 29.5K

$105 €90.0

-89.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.78 TZS 25.2K

$42.06 €36.18

-76.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.68 TZS 50.7K

$94.0 €80.8

-79.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.31 TZS 70.4K

$120 €103

-77.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 TZS 297.1K

$1,628 €1,400

-92.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.5 TZS 202.5K

$1,255 €1,080

-93.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 TZS 492.9K

$3,030 €2,607

-93.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 295.2K

$2,020 €1,738

-94.34%

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)

$191 TZS 491.4K

$1,603 €1,379

-88.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

241.21%

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

Last update for Mbeya: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Mbeya and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 742% 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: $23.00 in Mbeya vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $118 vs $269 per month, with Mbeya 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

Mbeya vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mbeya and Lisbon differ by about 411% in total monthly costs ($432 vs $2,210 including rent). Mbeya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 742% 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: $115 in Mbeya versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $432 per month in Mbeya versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 411% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $432 in Mbeya versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mbeya but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mbeya 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, Mbeya 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 Mbeya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 411% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.