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: $2,322 in Lisbon versus $527 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,409 in Lisbon versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,496 in Lisbon versus $1,226 in Isiolo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 341% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Isiolo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.63

$5.55 KES 718

208.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 €54.8

$34.56 KES 4,472

85.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.02

$6.30 KES 816

85.87%

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.69

$2.80 KES 363

12.14%

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

$2.51 €2.14

$0.63 KES 81.8

298.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.42

$0.53 KES 67.9

213.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.01

$2.29 KES 296

53.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.88

$2.68 KES 347

25.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €0.99

$0.85 KES 110

36.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.73

$0.56 KES 73.0

260.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.84 KES 239

-14.13%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.46

$1.65 KES 213

145.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 €10.96

$10.66 KES 1,380

20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 €6.86

$6.62 KES 857

21.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 €14.57

$6.33 KES 819

169.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$3.16 KES 409

-24.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.99 KES 128

84.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.97 KES 255

1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.28

$1.02 KES 131

161.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.00 KES 130

90.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.95 KES 123

107.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.66 KES 84.9

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.72 KES 93.3

26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.84

$3.43 KES 444

98.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.73 €4.90

$11.57 KES 1,498

-50.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.29 KES 297

-41.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.81 KES 364

-24.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.94 €39.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 €3.63

$1.53 KES 198

177.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.95

$1.58 KES 204

-29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 €15.39

$2.88 KES 373

524.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.88

$1.39 KES 180

58.27%

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

$35.2K €30.1K

$18.7K KES 2.4M

88.51%

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

$40.0K €34.2K

$19.3K KES 2.5M

107.02%

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

$171 €146

$55.7 KES 7,213

206.96%

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

$19.61 €16.78

$15.51 KES 2,007

26.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.19 €28.39

$34.29 KES 4,437

-3.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 €41.02

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 €17.01

Cinema Ticket

$10.12 €8.66

$7.87 KES 1,018

28.59%

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

$700 €599

$240 KES 31.1K

191.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €14.8K

$11.0K KES 1.4M

58.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €93.4

$26.64 KES 3,447

309.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.84 €40.92

$25.38 KES 3,285

88.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$63.1 KES 8,167

68.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$59.8 KES 7,736

110.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 €1,461

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 €1,082

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 €2,543

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 €1,711

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,013 €6,855

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,871

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,663 €1,422

$760 KES 98.3K

118.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.73

14.71

-74.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 15, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 119% 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 $35.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $203 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 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.

Average pay runs 119% 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 36% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,322 per month in Lisbon versus $527 in Isiolo – a 341% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $527 in Isiolo versus $2,322 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 $527 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 341% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.