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: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $488 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $809 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,130 in Isiolo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 354% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Isiolo is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$5.30 KES 687

197.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$30.45 KES 3,945

105.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$3.89 KES 505

170.95%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$2.48 KES 322

11.69%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$0.28 KES 36.40

714.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.24 KES 31.20

545.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$2.28 KES 295

55.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$2.86 KES 371

39.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$0.84 KES 109

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.41 KES 53.0

331.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.58 KES 205

12.03%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$1.43 KES 185

118.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$11.66 KES 1,511

14.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$6.64 KES 860

20.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$5.70 KES 738

179.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.01 KES 390

-24.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.05 KES 136

56.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.17 KES 281

-8.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.02 KES 132

140.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.04 KES 134

70.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.16 KES 150

69.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.68 KES 88.3

189.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.75 KES 96.7

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$3.05 KES 395

114.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$11.81 KES 1,530

-51.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$2.23 KES 288

-40.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$2.73 KES 354

9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$1.50 KES 195

184.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$1.56 KES 203

-46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$2.91 KES 377

548.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.43 KES 185

44.76%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

64.36%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

90.84%

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

$151 €132

$33.75 KES 4,372

347.79%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$16.75 KES 2,170

24.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$39.04 KES 5,057

1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$6.05 KES 783

49.42%

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

$610 €532

$206 KES 26.7K

196.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$7,959 KES 1.0M

104.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$18.31 KES 2,372

452.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$24.43 KES 3,165

66.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$66.5 KES 8,617

39.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$55.4 KES 7,179

114.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$783 KES 101.5K

107.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

14.84

-74.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 108% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $30.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $202 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 354% 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 108% 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 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $488 in Isiolo – a 354% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $488 in Isiolo versus $2,217 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 $488 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 354% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.