Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Zanzibar: $579 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Zanzibar
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Zanzibar Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Zanzibar

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$579

/mo nomad

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zanzibar and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zanzibar and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $579 in Zanzibar versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

Zanzibar $579
Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $864 in Zanzibar versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

Zanzibar $864
Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,148 in Zanzibar versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

Zanzibar $1,148
Lisbon $4,346

Living in Zanzibar costs roughly 74% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zanzibar is 57% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

$17.04 €15.15

-72.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.08 TZS 57.8K

$62.3 €55.4

-64.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 TZS 14.6K

$11.02 €9.80

-49.27%

Cappuccino

$2.20 TZS 5,769

$3.12 €2.78

-29.49%

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

$0.58 TZS 1,520

$2.27 €2.02

-74.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TZS 776

$1.74 €1.55

-82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 TZS 4,879

$3.42 €3.04

-45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 TZS 6,764

$3.74 €3.33

-31.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 TZS 5,521

$1.17 €1.04

80.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 TZS 1,859

$1.86 €1.66

-61.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,058

$1.54 €1.37

-48.70%

Eggs

$2.71 TZS 7,092

$4.06 €3.61

-33.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 TZS 19.9K

$12.91 €11.49

-41.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.21 TZS 5,776

$7.90 €7.03

-72.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.87 TZS 15.4K

$17.64 €15.69

-66.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 TZS 7,271

$2.26 €2.01

23.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 3,001

$1.75 €1.55

-34.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,050

$1.89 €1.68

-58.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 TZS 1,428

$2.56 €2.27

-78.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 TZS 2,351

$1.85 €1.64

-51.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 TZS 4,063

$1.97 €1.75

-21.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 TZS 2,003

$1.45 €1.29

-47.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 TZS 1,274

$0.77 €0.69

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 TZS 5,445

$6.71 €5.97

-69.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 TZS 25.0K

$5.67 €5.04

68.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TZS 3,921

$1.37 €1.22

9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 TZS 3,536

$2.11 €1.88

-36.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 TZS 825

$2.32 €2.07

-86.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.43 €39.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 TZS 9,672

$3.95 €3.51

-6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 TZS 1,920

$1.05 €0.93

-30.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 TZS 6,964

$17.15 €15.26

-84.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 TZS 3,180

$2.19 €1.95

-44.75%

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

$33.8K €30.0K

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

$48.9K TZS 128.1M

$38.3K €34.0K

27.85%

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

$74.3 TZS 194.6K

$164 €146

-54.64%

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

$11.29 TZS 29.6K

$18.48 €16.43

-38.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.43 TZS 126.8K

$32.96 €29.32

46.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.77 TZS 75.3K

$45.87 €40.80

-37.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 €16.61

Cinema Ticket

$9.26 TZS 24.3K

$9.75 €8.67

-5.03%

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

$684 €608

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 TZS 34.3K

$104 €92.3

-87.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.88 TZS 44.2K

$46.20 €41.09

-63.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.05 TZS 39.4K

$99.7 €88.7

-84.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.05 TZS 34.2K

$125 €111

-89.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 TZS 385.1K

$1,589 €1,414

-90.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 TZS 262.1K

$1,169 €1,040

-91.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 TZS 518.2K

$2,851 €2,536

-93.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 TZS 388.8K

$1,993 €1,773

-92.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.8K TZS 99.1M

$7,793 €6,932

385.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

$4,418 €3,930

160.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 TZS 816.7K

$1,600 €1,423

-80.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

159.74%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: October 18, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Zanzibar

$164 28.3%

Lisbon

$273 12.4% 66.4% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zanzibar

$134 23.2%

Lisbon

$215 9.8% 60.6% $81

Accommodation & Living

Zanzibar

$100 17.3%

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.1% 1068% $1.1K

Eating Out

Zanzibar

$99 17.1%

Lisbon

$247 11.2% 151% $149

Sport & Entertainment

Zanzibar

$47 8.2%

Lisbon

$65 3% 38.2% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Zanzibar

$26 4.5%

Lisbon

$168 7.7% 544% $142

Getting Around

Zanzibar

$8.6 * 1.5%

Lisbon

$63 2.9% 630% $54

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Zanzibar and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 413% 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: $22.00 in Zanzibar vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $273 per month, with Zanzibar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Zanzibar

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🕒 Local time

16:19 4:19 PM

14:19 2:19 PM

2 h behind Zanzibar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

709,809

545,923 Capital

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,944 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Zanzibar Lisbon 7,040 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Zanzibar
Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Zanzibar vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zanzibar and Lisbon differ by about 280% in total monthly costs ($579 vs $2,202 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 413% 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: $147 in Zanzibar versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zanzibar – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $579 per month in Zanzibar versus $2,202 in Lisbon – a 280% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $579 in Zanzibar versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zanzibar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zanzibar 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, Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 280% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.