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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $486 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $750 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,014 in Kiambu.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Kiambu is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.16 KES 410

403.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$19.55 KES 2,533

231.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.55 KES 589

130.99%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.91 KES 247

50.26%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.54 KES 70.2

314.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.34 KES 43.48

341.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.76 KES 228

98.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.26 KES 293

71.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.68 KES 88.3

67.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.53 KES 68.1

230.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.66 KES 216

6.02%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.36 KES 176

136.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$11.74 KES 1,522

14.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.55 KES 848

20.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$4.15 KES 537

282.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.04 KES 394

-24.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.09 KES 141

55.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.78 KES 102

157.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.56 KES 72.7

339.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.55 KES 70.7

234.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.76 KES 98.5

163.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.32 KES 41.56

503.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.40 KES 52.0

97.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$3.01 KES 390

119.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$11.43 KES 1,481

-49.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.19 KES 284

-37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.79 KES 362

6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.56 KES 72.1

323.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.59 KES 207

169.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.37 KES 48.56

121.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.85 KES 369

542.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.53 KES 198

34.64%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

56.54%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$19.7K KES 2.6M

99.14%

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

$148 €127

$28.59 KES 3,704

417.21%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$7.60 KES 984

170.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$29.32 KES 3,799

35.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$11.59 KES 1,502

312.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.64 KES 731

62.77%

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

$614 €528

$204 KES 26.5K

200.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$8,097 KES 1.0M

98.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$6.24 KES 808

1577.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$23.84 KES 3,088

76.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$27.40 KES 3,550

242.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$30.38 KES 3,936

293.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$115 KES 14.9K

1313.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$92.7 KES 12.0K

1254.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$191 KES 24.8K

1485.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$146 KES 18.9K

1282.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,137 KES 147.2K

586.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$122 KES 15.8K

1211.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-65.36%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $115 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1212% 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 $20.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $181 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 354% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 1212% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $115 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $204 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 $20.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $486 in Kiambu versus $2,210 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 354% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.