Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $501 in Isiolo versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $817 in Isiolo versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,134 in Isiolo versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 77% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Isiolo is 63% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 KES 713

$15.91 €13.80

-65.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.58 KES 3,955

$64.8 €56.2

-52.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 KES 505

$10.51 €9.12

-62.89%

Cappuccino

$2.35 KES 304

$2.87 €2.49

-18.12%

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

$0.28 KES 36.52

$2.24 €1.95

-87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.31

$1.50 €1.30

-85.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 KES 291

$3.49 €3.03

-35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 370

$3.88 €3.37

-26.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.14 €0.99

-24.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 KES 57.8

$1.75 €1.52

-74.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 214

$1.76 €1.52

-6.25%

Eggs

$1.42 KES 184

$3.22 €2.79

-55.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,518

$13.49 €11.70

-12.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 KES 865

$7.91 €6.87

-15.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.53 KES 715

$15.87 €13.77

-65.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 KES 399

$2.31 €2.00

33.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.70 €1.48

-38.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 KES 281

$2.01 €1.74

7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$2.46 €2.13

-56.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.84 €1.60

-41.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$2.00 €1.74

-43.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.8

$1.93 €1.67

-64.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 97.0

$0.79 €0.68

-5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

$6.61 €5.73

-54.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 KES 1,504

$5.72 €4.97

103.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 KES 284

$1.37 €1.18

60.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 353

$2.97 €2.58

-8.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 KES 195

$4.29 €3.72

-64.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$0.82 €0.71

84.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$18.30 €15.88

-84.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 KES 182

$2.06 €1.79

-32.04%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$34.3K €29.7K

-36.59%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$39.3K €34.1K

-48.52%

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

$35.01 KES 4,527

$148 €128

-76.32%

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

$16.69 KES 2,158

$20.52 €17.80

-18.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.05 KES 5,050

$39.61 €34.37

-1.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 KES 789

$9.18 €7.97

-33.55%

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

$203 KES 26.2K

$614 €533

-66.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,151 KES 1.1M

$16.0K €13.9K

-49.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.05 KES 2,334

$105 €90.8

-82.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.24 KES 3,135

$42.06 €36.49

-42.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 KES 8,295

$94.0 €81.5

-31.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 KES 7,305

$120 €104

-52.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,766

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 KES 100.4K

$1,603 €1,391

-51.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

3.81

289.50%

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

Last update for Isiolo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 107% 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: $31.00 in Isiolo vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $269 per month, with Isiolo 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

Isiolo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 341% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Lisbon earns 107% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $501 per month in Isiolo versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 341% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $501 in Isiolo versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $501 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Isiolo 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 Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 341% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.