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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $442 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $763 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,085 in Machakos.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 416% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Machakos is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$2.37 KES 307

564.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$38.19 KES 4,936

66.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$6.63 KES 857

57.62%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$1.89 KES 244

53.97%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.71 KES 91.6

222.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.50 KES 64.4

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$1.95 KES 252

82.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$2.65 KES 342

49.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$0.41 KES 52.8

163.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.48 KES 61.6

266.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$0.76 KES 97.7

123.68%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$1.37 KES 177

137.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$11.41 KES 1,475

16.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$6.59 KES 851

16.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$4.68 KES 604

236.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.51 KES 195

50.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$0.74 KES 95.6

124.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$0.37 KES 48.17

445.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$0.38 KES 48.78

550.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$0.73 KES 94.9

145.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$0.79 KES 102

162.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.66 KES 85.0

198.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.37 KES 48.00

124.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$3.12 KES 403

109.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$11.40 KES 1,474

-51.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.96 KES 253

-32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$2.79 KES 361

7.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$0.76 KES 98.2

456.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.73 KES 94.8

16.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$2.94 KES 379

540.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.51 KES 195

33.77%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

63.75%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

101.53%

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

$148 €129

$34.06 KES 4,402

334.32%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$7.77 KES 1,004

164.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$11.38 KES 1,471

247.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$6.02 KES 778

51.16%

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

$615 €536

$47.26 KES 6,109

1200.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$8,045 KES 1.0M

102.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$11.59 KES 1,498

776.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$23.79 KES 3,075

76.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$65.9 KES 8,522

39.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$38.20 KES 4,937

219.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$92.3 KES 11.9K

1645.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$68.4 KES 8,838

1733.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$156 KES 20.1K

1872.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$114 KES 14.7K

1685.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$380 KES 49.1K

321.58%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $92.3 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 322% 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 $267 vs $163 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 416% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $442 including rent). Machakos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 322% 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $92.3 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $442 in Machakos – a 416% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $2,280 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 416% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.