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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $544 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $882 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,220 in Molo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 322% more expensive than in Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Molo is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$4.55 KES 589

286.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$35.29 KES 4,566

78.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$6.03 KES 781

92.04%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.75 KES 356

12.73%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.58 KES 75.6

329.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.64 KES 82.5

171.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.27 KES 293

53.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.65 KES 343

29.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.94 KES 122

22.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.58 KES 74.4

229.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.86 KES 241

-19.35%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.70 KES 220

134.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$10.67 KES 1,380

24.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.33 KES 819

26.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$6.11 KES 791

195.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.31 KES 428

-29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.07 KES 138

63.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.06 KES 267

-10.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.13 KES 146

125.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.14 KES 148

61.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.09 KES 141

92.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.67 KES 87.3

122.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.74 KES 95.8

10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$3.44 KES 445

106.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$11.61 KES 1,503

-49.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.32 KES 300

-43.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.74 KES 354

-22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.52 KES 197

168.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.51 KES 195

-24.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$2.92 KES 378

485.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.57 KES 204

47.13%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

57.47%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$20.5K KES 2.7M

101.94%

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

$169 €147

$62.5 KES 8,082

169.85%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$15.75 KES 2,038

22.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$35.67 KES 4,616

-6.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$7.90 KES 1,022

21.14%

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

$696 €606

$246 KES 31.8K

182.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

51.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$27.81 KES 3,599

278.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$28.43 KES 3,679

67.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$68.9 KES 8,909

46.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$58.0 KES 7,498

114.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$386 KES 49.9K

323.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

14.71

-74.30%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Molo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 323% 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 $35.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $206 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 322% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $544 including rent). Molo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 323% higher in Lisbon, 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 35% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $544 in Molo – a 322% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $544 in Molo versus $2,296 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 322% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.