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: $431 in Mbeya versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $664 in Mbeya versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $898 in Mbeya versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Mbeya costs roughly 81% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.79 TZS 59.9K

$63.3 €54.4

-63.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 TZS 19.7K

$11.39 €9.79

-34.06%

Cappuccino

$1.47 TZS 3,863

$3.19 €2.74

-53.92%

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

$0.36 TZS 956

$2.45 €2.10

-85.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,045

$1.76 €1.52

-77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 TZS 1,918

$3.59 €3.09

-79.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,437

$1.24 €1.06

-55.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 TZS 2,386

$1.98 €1.71

-54.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,420

$1.52 €1.31

-39.47%

Eggs

$2.28 TZS 5,995

$4.04 €3.47

-43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.74 TZS 9,830

$13.54 €11.64

-72.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 TZS 9,951

$8.39 €7.21

-54.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.44 TZS 9,038

$18.25 €15.69

-81.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 3,026

$2.29 €1.97

-49.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,038

$1.74 €1.50

-55.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,526

$1.86 €1.60

-48.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TZS 1,892

$2.63 €2.26

-72.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,415

$1.92 €1.65

-52.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TZS 2,035

$2.09 €1.80

-63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 TZS 1,451

$1.44 €1.24

-61.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 TZS 2,035

$0.84 €0.72

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.10 TZS 2,890

$6.78 €5.83

-83.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.84 TZS 10.1K

$5.71 €4.91

-32.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 TZS 1,943

$1.38 €1.18

-46.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 TZS 2,917

$2.22 €1.91

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 TZS 1,036

$2.40 €2.06

-83.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 TZS 2,916

$4.17 €3.59

-73.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 TZS 4,908

$1.14 €0.98

64.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 TZS 7,031

$17.68 €15.20

-84.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 TZS 3,133

$2.32 €2.00

-48.71%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.6K

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

$23.73 TZS 62.4K

$170 €146

-86.07%

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

$18.80 TZS 49.4K

$19.34 €16.62

-2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.63 TZS 117.3K

$33.64 €28.92

32.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.61 TZS 98.9K

$48.10 €41.35

-21.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.46 TZS 24.9K

$9.92 €8.53

-4.64%

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

$185 TZS 486.7K

$717 €617

-74.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,135 TZS 3.0M

$17.5K €15.0K

-93.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.37 TZS 29.9K

$105 €90.1

-89.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.52 TZS 25.0K

$46.95 €40.36

-79.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.10 TZS 50.2K

$103 €88.9

-81.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.66 TZS 70.1K

$124 €107

-78.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 293.7K

$1,677 €1,441

-93.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 TZS 199.5K

$1,271 €1,093

-94.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$188 TZS 493.6K

$2,985 €2,566

-93.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 294.3K

$1,992 €1,713

-94.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 TZS 504.5K

$1,583 €1,361

-87.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

243.01%

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

Last update for Mbeya: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $112 in Mbeya and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 725% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $115 vs $283 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 438% in total monthly costs ($431 vs $2,316 including rent). Mbeya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 725% 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: $112 in Mbeya versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $431 per month in Mbeya versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 438% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $431 in Mbeya versus $2,316 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 438% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.