Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $344 in Malindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $574 in Malindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $804 in Malindi.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 543% more expensive than Malindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Malindi is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.18 KES 283

629.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$31.16 KES 4,037

107.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.58 KES 205

41.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.89 KES 115

68.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.40 KES 441

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.55 KES 460

9.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.91 KES 118

25.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.27 KES 165

38.58%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.98 KES 387

8.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$11.55 KES 1,496

16.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.17 KES 799

28.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$5.09 KES 659

211.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.18 KES 412

-27.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.79 KES 102

115.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.77 KES 359

-27.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.71 KES 91.8

246.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.81 KES 105

127.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.66 KES 86.1

203.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.49 KES 63.5

61.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.41 KES 183

46.10%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

$77.3 KES 10.0K

91.32%

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$31.26 KES 4,049

26.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$38.10 KES 4,935

25.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$380 KES 49.3K

696.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malindi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $31.00 in Malindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $152 per month, with Malindi 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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Malindi differ by about 543% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $344 including rent). Malindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $516 in Malindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Malindi – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $344 in Malindi – a 543% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $344 in Malindi versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Malindi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Malindi 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 Malindi 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 Malindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 543% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.