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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $516 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $847 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,178 in Molo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 339% more expensive than Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Molo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$5.37 KES 696

196.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$38.20 KES 4,953

65.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$6.68 KES 866

55.39%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.43 KES 316

14.81%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.72 KES 93.3

225.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.50 KES 64.7

214.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.39 KES 310

43.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.86 KES 371

36.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.94 KES 122

14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.53 KES 68.5

233.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.64 KES 213

4.27%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.68 KES 218

87.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$11.60 KES 1,504

17.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$6.68 KES 866

19.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$5.77 KES 749

168.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.06 KES 397

-25.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.05 KES 136

56.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.10 KES 273

-7.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.02 KES 132

146.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.08 KES 140

65.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.11 KES 144

81.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.64 KES 83.0

207.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.75 KES 96.9

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$3.02 KES 392

124.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$11.46 KES 1,486

-50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.18 KES 283

-36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.75 KES 356

9.82%

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

$1.58 KES 205

171.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.58 KES 204

-46.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$2.91 KES 378

528.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.56 KES 203

27.56%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

64.39%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$19.7K KES 2.6M

100.60%

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

$146 €126

$34.50 KES 4,474

323.71%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$16.63 KES 2,156

22.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$38.70 KES 5,018

0.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$6.37 KES 826

49.45%

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

$608 €524

$206 KES 26.8K

194.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$8,045 KES 1.0M

105.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$18.33 KES 2,376

466.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$24.45 KES 3,170

72.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$66.5 KES 8,625

38.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$55.6 KES 7,205

116.00%

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

$388 KES 50.3K

308.23%

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 Molo: June 8, 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 339% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $516 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 31% 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 $516 in Molo – a 339% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $516 in Molo versus $2,263 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 339% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.