Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Thika Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Thika

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $480 in Thika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $809 in Thika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,137 in Thika.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 371% more expensive than Thika, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Thika is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$5.53 KES 717

188.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$38.49 KES 4,991

64.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$6.64 KES 861

56.33%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.38 KES 308

17.23%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.75 KES 97.2

212.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.54 KES 70.3

190.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.67 KES 217

105.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$1.99 KES 258

96.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.88 KES 114

22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.47 KES 61.5

276.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.36 KES 177

25.74%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.36 KES 176

131.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$11.66 KES 1,512

17.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$6.55 KES 849

22.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$1.92 KES 249

708.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.13 KES 406

-26.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.07 KES 139

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.09 KES 271

-7.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.05 KES 136

139.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.07 KES 139

67.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.12 KES 146

79.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.64 KES 83.0

207.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.76 KES 98.9

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.36 KES 306

187.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$5.90 KES 765

-3.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.73 KES 224

-19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.98 KES 257

52.53%

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

$1.59 KES 206

169.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.50 KES 195

-43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$2.83 KES 367

545.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.06 KES 138

87.74%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$21.5K KES 2.8M

63.05%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$19.8K KES 2.6M

99.37%

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

$146 €126

$34.61 KES 4,488

322.36%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$17.09 KES 2,216

19.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$39.46 KES 5,116

-1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$6.31 KES 819

50.87%

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

$608 €524

$205 KES 26.6K

196.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$8,182 KES 1.1M

101.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$18.51 KES 2,400

461.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$24.40 KES 3,164

72.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$66.5 KES 8,626

38.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$56.5 KES 7,328

112.37%

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

$612 KES 79.3K

1152.19%

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

11.5

-66.87%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Thika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $175 per month, with Thika 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Thika differ by about 371% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $480 including rent). Thika 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 $721 in Thika 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 53% 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 $480 in Thika – a 371% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $480 in Thika versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Thika but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Thika 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 Thika 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 Thika gentler on the wallet – expenses run 371% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.