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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $512 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $788 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,063 in Machakos.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 343% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Machakos is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$3.18 KES 411

451.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$19.14 KES 2,475

236.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$6.15 KES 795

89.43%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.07 KES 267

57.49%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.56 KES 72.8

344.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.51 KES 65.8

227.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.10 KES 271

65.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.65 KES 343

35.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.40 KES 51.9

195.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.47 KES 60.9

314.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.79 KES 102

97.47%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.36 KES 175

194.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.48 KES 1,355

26.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.43 KES 831

30.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$4.65 KES 602

292.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.52 KES 197

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.74 KES 95.6

133.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.40 KES 52.3

382.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.40 KES 52.1

560.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.75 KES 97.2

153.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.74 KES 96.2

185.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.69 KES 88.7

108.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.40 KES 51.9

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.58 KES 463

95.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$11.48 KES 1,485

-48.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.97 KES 254

-30.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.88 KES 373

-25.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.79 KES 102

430.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.79 KES 102

39.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$2.97 KES 384

481.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.51 KES 196

49.01%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

70.87%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$19.6K KES 2.5M

112.27%

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

$171 €147

$60.1 KES 7,775

184.18%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$7.94 KES 1,027

139.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$11.73 KES 1,516

192.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$38.06 KES 4,922

30.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$7.91 KES 1,023

27.69%

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

$699 €603

$45.50 KES 5,884

1436.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$11.6K KES 1.5M

53.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$11.74 KES 1,518

790.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$25.50 KES 3,297

88.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$64.1 KES 8,293

58.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$38.12 KES 4,930

236.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$94.5 KES 12.2K

1657.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$70.1 KES 9,058

1653.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$156 KES 20.2K

1767.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$114 KES 14.8K

1672.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$387 KES 50.1K

318.28%

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 Machakos: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $94.5 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 318% 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 $19.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $160 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 343% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $512 including rent). Machakos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 318% 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 $94.5 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $512 in Machakos – a 343% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $512 in Machakos versus $2,268 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 343% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.