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: $442 in Mbeya versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $669 in Mbeya versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $896 in Mbeya versus $4,354 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 67% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.15

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.27 TZS 61.1K

$63.3 €55.3

-63.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 TZS 20.6K

$10.32 €9.02

-23.84%

Cappuccino

$1.59 TZS 4,166

$2.83 €2.47

-43.82%

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

$0.37 TZS 975

$2.29 €2.00

-83.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,051

$1.58 €1.38

-74.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.76 TZS 1,988

$3.40 €2.97

-77.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 TZS 1,459

$1.09 €0.95

-48.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 TZS 2,478

$1.75 €1.53

-46.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,452

$1.76 €1.54

-47.16%

Eggs

$2.36 TZS 6,192

$3.17 €2.77

-25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.77 TZS 9,894

$13.19 €11.53

-71.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 TZS 9,913

$7.97 €6.96

-52.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.51 TZS 9,201

$15.53 €13.57

-77.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 TZS 3,118

$2.37 €2.07

-49.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,980

$1.71 €1.49

-56.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 TZS 2,475

$2.01 €1.75

-53.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 TZS 2,120

$2.43 €2.12

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,640

$1.76 €1.54

-42.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,959

$2.03 €1.78

-63.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 TZS 1,477

$1.92 €1.68

-70.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 TZS 1,983

$0.85 €0.74

-10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.18 TZS 3,108

$6.58 €5.75

-82.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.88 TZS 10.2K

$5.58 €4.87

-30.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 TZS 2,086

$1.33 €1.16

-39.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 TZS 3,005

$2.97 €2.60

-61.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 TZS 1,074

$2.28 €1.99

-82.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 TZS 2,966

$4.23 €3.69

-73.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 TZS 4,470

$0.81 €0.71

109.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 TZS 7,289

$18.44 €16.11

-84.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 TZS 3,318

$2.08 €1.82

-39.42%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.2K

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

$25.04 TZS 65.7K

$148 €129

-83.09%

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

$19.44 TZS 51.0K

$20.46 €17.88

-4.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.15 TZS 121.1K

$39.56 €34.56

16.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.01 TZS 99.7K

$47.99 €41.93

-20.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 TZS 25.9K

$9.22 €8.06

6.94%

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

$194 TZS 508.6K

$616 €538

-68.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,146 TZS 3.0M

$16.4K €14.4K

-93.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.45 TZS 30.1K

$103 €89.7

-88.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.85 TZS 25.8K

$41.74 €36.47

-76.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.63 TZS 51.5K

$94.8 €82.8

-79.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.38 TZS 71.8K

$122 €107

-77.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 TZS 306.4K

$1,633 €1,426

-92.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 TZS 201.0K

$1,232 €1,077

-93.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 TZS 505.6K

$3,098 €2,707

-93.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 TZS 307.1K

$2,031 €1,775

-94.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 TZS 494.0K

$1,607 €1,404

-88.29%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Mbeya and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 754% 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 $117 vs $267 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 418% in total monthly costs ($442 vs $2,291 including rent). Mbeya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 754% 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: $117 in Mbeya versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 128% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $442 per month in Mbeya versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 418% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Mbeya versus $2,291 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 418% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.