Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Molo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Molo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $506 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $861 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,216 in Molo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 340% more expensive than Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Molo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$5.34 KES 690

202.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$38.63 KES 4,987

67.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$6.88 KES 888

50.87%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.37 KES 305

16.88%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.72 KES 92.8

212.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.50 KES 64.8

214.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.38 KES 307

46.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.84 KES 367

40.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.86 KES 111

25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.57 KES 73.4

205.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.57 KES 203

10.83%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.65 KES 212

92.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$11.41 KES 1,473

17.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$6.82 KES 880

17.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$5.53 KES 714

190.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.04 KES 393

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.04 KES 134

65.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.18 KES 281

-11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.05 KES 136

141.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.02 KES 132

79.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.17 KES 152

74.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.68 KES 88.2

191.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.82 KES 106

3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.16 KES 408

116.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$11.54 KES 1,489

-49.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.27 KES 293

-39.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.78 KES 359

4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.53 KES 198

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.57 KES 203

-47.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$2.95 KES 381

519.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.53 KES 198

31.37%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$21.6K KES 2.8M

62.94%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

94.90%

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

$145 €124

$33.79 KES 4,361

330.30%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$17.03 KES 2,198

23.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$38.64 KES 4,987

3.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.21 KES 801

45.89%

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

$607 €519

$202 KES 26.1K

199.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$7,979 KES 1.0M

104.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$18.34 KES 2,368

470.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$23.57 KES 3,042

73.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$66.1 KES 8,529

41.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$56.5 KES 7,288

109.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$388 KES 50.1K

308.18%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Molo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 308% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $205 per month, with Molo 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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Molo differ by about 340% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $506 including rent). Molo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 308% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $506 in Molo – a 340% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $506 in Molo versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Molo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Molo 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 Molo 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 Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 340% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.