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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,294 in Lisbon versus $539 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,299 in Lisbon versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,305 in Lisbon versus $1,214 in Isiolo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 325% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 70% above, Isiolo is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €15.24

$4.73 KES 613

261.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 €56.6

$34.12 KES 4,424

86.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 €9.94

$6.07 KES 787

83.69%

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.80

$2.72 KES 352

15.44%

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

$2.41 €2.15

$0.59 KES 76.5

308.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.56

$0.63 KES 81.8

179.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 €2.98

$2.35 KES 305

42.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €3.01

$2.62 KES 340

29.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.05

$0.86 KES 112

37.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 €1.72

$0.57 KES 74.2

238.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.39

$1.93 KES 250

-19.17%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.55

$1.67 KES 216

138.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 €11.75

$10.77 KES 1,396

22.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €7.05

$6.47 KES 839

22.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.72 €15.79

$6.40 KES 829

176.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.06

$3.18 KES 412

-27.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.59

$1.03 KES 134

72.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 €1.67

$1.97 KES 256

-4.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 €2.33

$1.13 KES 147

131.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.62

$1.10 KES 143

64.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.84

$1.03 KES 133

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.28

$0.68 KES 87.9

110.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.70

$0.74 KES 95.4

6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 €6.18

$3.52 KES 457

96.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 €5.03

$11.42 KES 1,480

-50.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.19

$2.29 KES 297

-41.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.87

$2.80 KES 363

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.07 €40.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 €3.62

$1.57 KES 203

158.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 €0.96

$1.53 KES 198

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.83 €15.00

$2.94 KES 381

472.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €2.03

$1.43 KES 185

58.74%

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

$33.6K €30.0K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

57.46%

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

$40.3K €35.9K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

101.09%

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

$168 €150

$61.9 KES 8,020

171.20%

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

$18.60 €16.58

$15.49 KES 2,008

20.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.48 €28.95

$35.16 KES 4,559

-7.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.68 €43.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 €17.06

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.48

$7.93 KES 1,028

20.05%

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

$689 €614

$252 KES 32.6K

173.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.6K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

48.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €92.2

$28.60 KES 3,708

261.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.32 €42.17

$28.49 KES 3,695

66.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 €88.0

$68.9 KES 8,926

43.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €108

$59.3 KES 7,689

103.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 €1,448

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 €1,077

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,824 €2,517

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 €1,777

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,944 €7,081

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,501 €4,012

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,604 €1,430

$761 KES 98.6K

110.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

14.71

-74.30%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 28, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 111% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $205 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

Lisbon vs Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 325% 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.

Average pay runs 111% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,294 per month in Lisbon versus $539 in Isiolo – a 325% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $539 in Isiolo versus $2,294 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 $539 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Isiolo 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 325% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.