Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kiambu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kiambu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $474 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $774 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,075 in Kiambu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 379% more expensive than in Kiambu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$3.97 KES 513

342.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$34.24 KES 4,427

88.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$6.01 KES 777

93.84%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.71 KES 350

20.30%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.55 KES 71.3

352.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.52 KES 67.7

221.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.29 KES 296

51.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.66 KES 344

34.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.54 KES 69.6

118.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.50 KES 65.3

290.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.89 KES 244

-17.46%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.42 KES 184

182.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.54 KES 1,363

25.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.30 KES 814

33.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$4.07 KES 526

347.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.25 KES 420

-28.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.01 KES 130

71.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.76 KES 97.8

153.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.60 KES 77.0

340.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.68 KES 88.4

179.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.73 KES 93.9

189.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.30 KES 38.67

380.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.40 KES 52.0

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.45 KES 447

103.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$11.74 KES 1,518

-49.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.29 KES 296

-40.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.74 KES 354

-21.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.68 KES 87.6

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.55 KES 201

170.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.37 KES 48.15

197.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$2.97 KES 384

481.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.57 KES 204

43.31%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

71.45%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$19.6K KES 2.5M

112.52%

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

$171 €147

$60.0 KES 7,754

184.94%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$7.74 KES 1,001

145.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$35.57 KES 4,599

-3.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$5.87 KES 759

72.06%

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

$699 €603

$243 KES 31.4K

187.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$11.5K KES 1.5M

55.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$26.69 KES 3,451

291.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$25.86 KES 3,343

85.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$64.0 KES 8,269

59.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$61.0 KES 7,882

110.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$117 KES 15.1K

1320.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$1,149 KES 148.6K

607.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$122 KES 15.8K

1224.48%

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 5, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $117 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1224% 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 Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $177 per month, with Kiambu 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 Kiambu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 379% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1224% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $117 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $243 in Kiambu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $474 in Kiambu versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kiambu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kiambu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kiambu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kiambu 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 Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 379% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.