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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $509 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $843 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,176 in Molo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 348% more expensive than in Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Molo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$5.51 KES 713

185.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$39.20 KES 5,067

61.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$6.87 KES 888

52.11%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.45 KES 316

18.78%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.72 KES 92.7

218.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.54 KES 69.5

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.27 KES 294

56.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.87 KES 370

37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$0.92 KES 119

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.57 KES 73.8

208.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.59 KES 206

6.92%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.68 KES 217

93.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$11.53 KES 1,490

14.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$6.85 KES 885

12.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$5.46 KES 706

188.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.14 KES 406

-27.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.07 KES 138

55.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.14 KES 276

-5.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.06 KES 137

133.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.03 KES 133

73.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.12 KES 145

84.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.65 KES 83.4

203.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.81 KES 105

2.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$3.04 KES 393

115.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$11.71 KES 1,514

-52.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.22 KES 287

-40.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.68 KES 346

12.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$1.50 KES 194

182.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.51 KES 195

-43.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$2.83 KES 366

565.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.59 KES 206

27.04%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

61.21%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

96.27%

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

$148 €128

$34.40 KES 4,447

330.03%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$17.11 KES 2,211

19.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$39.29 KES 5,078

0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.28 KES 812

44.90%

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

$615 €532

$202 KES 26.1K

204.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$7,932 KES 1.0M

105.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$18.28 KES 2,363

455.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$24.43 KES 3,157

72.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$66.2 KES 8,560

39.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$57.0 KES 7,361

114.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$390 KES 50.4K

310.62%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Molo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 311% 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 $39.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $207 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 348% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $509 including rent). Molo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 311% 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 29% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $509 in Molo – a 348% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $509 in Molo versus $2,280 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 348% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.