Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Meru Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Meru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $494 in Meru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $821 in Meru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,148 in Meru.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 358% more expensive than Meru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Meru is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$5.50 KES 714

189.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$39.30 KES 5,096

61.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$6.70 KES 868

54.93%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.39 KES 310

16.74%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.76 KES 98.8

207.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.50 KES 64.4

214.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.35 KES 305

45.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.93 KES 380

33.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.82 KES 106

31.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.40 KES 52.4

342.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.10 KES 143

55.45%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.44 KES 187

118.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$11.48 KES 1,488

19.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$6.81 KES 883

17.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$5.12 KES 664

203.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.07 KES 398

-25.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.78 KES 102

110.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$0.79 KES 103

145.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$0.75 KES 97.9

234.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.03 KES 134

73.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.03 KES 134

95.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.22 KES 28.37

795.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.45 KES 57.9

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$3.08 KES 399

120.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$11.42 KES 1,480

-50.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.22 KES 287

-37.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.81 KES 364

7.47%

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

$1.57 KES 204

173.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.57 KES 203

-45.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$2.97 KES 386

515.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.09 KES 141

82.57%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

64.15%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$20.3K KES 2.6M

94.96%

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

$146 €126

$34.79 KES 4,511

320.18%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$16.59 KES 2,151

23.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$39.34 KES 5,101

-0.92%

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

$203 KES 26.4K

198.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$8,189 KES 1.1M

101.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$18.16 KES 2,355

472.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$24.29 KES 3,149

73.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$64.3 KES 8,332

43.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$55.9 KES 7,252

114.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

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

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 Meru: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Meru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $184 per month, with Meru 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 Meru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Meru differ by about 358% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $494 including rent). Meru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $741 in Meru 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% 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 $494 in Meru – a 358% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $494 in Meru versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Meru but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Meru 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 Meru 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 Meru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 358% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.