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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $487 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $813 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,140 in Isiolo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 357% more expensive than Isiolo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Isiolo is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$5.54 KES 715

191.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$30.53 KES 3,940

111.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$3.89 KES 503

166.84%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.39 KES 309

15.90%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.28 KES 36.23

703.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.22 KES 28.28

613.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.38 KES 307

46.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.98 KES 384

34.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.88 KES 114

22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.42 KES 53.8

314.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.59 KES 205

9.43%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.42 KES 183

123.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$11.77 KES 1,520

14.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$6.80 KES 877

17.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$5.45 KES 703

195.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.19 KES 411

-28.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.08 KES 139

59.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.10 KES 271

-7.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.02 KES 131

149.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.08 KES 139

69.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.13 KES 145

80.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.69 KES 88.4

186.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.80 KES 104

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.12 KES 403

119.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$11.54 KES 1,489

-49.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.18 KES 282

-37.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.72 KES 351

6.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.54 KES 199

164.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.53 KES 197

-46.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$2.81 KES 363

550.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.40 KES 180

43.57%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

60.09%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

90.94%

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

$145 €124

$34.61 KES 4,467

320.11%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$17.03 KES 2,199

23.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$38.85 KES 5,014

3.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.17 KES 797

46.84%

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

$607 €519

$201 KES 26.0K

201.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$8,040 KES 1.0M

103.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$18.30 KES 2,363

471.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$23.64 KES 3,051

73.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$65.1 KES 8,405

43.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$56.6 KES 7,300

109.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$782 KES 100.9K

102.60%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 103% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $31.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $204 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 357% 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.

Lisbon pays 103% more on average, 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 $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $487 in Isiolo – a 357% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $487 in Isiolo versus $2,227 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 $487 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 357% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.