Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Machakos Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Machakos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $443 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $754 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,065 in Machakos.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 411% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Machakos is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$2.34 KES 303

581.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$38.41 KES 4,980

64.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$6.89 KES 893

50.65%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.95 KES 252

43.08%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.69 KES 90.1

239.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.51 KES 65.7

207.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.88 KES 243

82.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.77 KES 359

41.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.40 KES 52.4

170.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.44 KES 56.9

302.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.76 KES 97.9

125.00%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.36 KES 176

131.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$11.49 KES 1,490

19.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$6.77 KES 878

18.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$4.75 KES 615

226.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.53 KES 198

49.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.75 KES 96.9

118.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$0.37 KES 48.26

424.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$0.38 KES 49.23

560.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.80 KES 104

123.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.78 KES 101

157.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.65 KES 83.7

203.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.38 KES 48.81

121.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$3.11 KES 404

118.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$11.55 KES 1,498

-50.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.98 KES 257

-29.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.75 KES 356

9.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.73 KES 95.2

487.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.80 KES 103

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$2.96 KES 384

517.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.51 KES 196

31.79%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

59.52%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$19.6K KES 2.5M

101.26%

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

$146 €126

$34.62 KES 4,489

322.24%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$7.56 KES 980

170.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$11.64 KES 1,510

234.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$6.27 KES 813

51.83%

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

$608 €524

$46.87 KES 6,077

1197.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,961 KES 1.0M

107.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$11.72 KES 1,520

786.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$23.84 KES 3,091

76.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$65.5 KES 8,497

40.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$38.27 KES 4,962

213.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$93.1 KES 12.1K

1641.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$68.7 KES 8,910

1744.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$152 KES 19.7K

1907.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$118 KES 15.3K

1603.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$393 KES 50.9K

303.65%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $93.1 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 304% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $165 per month, with Machakos 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 Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Machakos differ by about 411% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $443 including rent). Machakos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 304% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $93.1 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $443 in Machakos – a 411% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Machakos 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 Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 411% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.