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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $478 in Thika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $795 in Thika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,113 in Thika.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 366% more expensive than Thika, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Thika is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.81

$5.27 KES 681

206.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.1

$39.16 KES 5,061

64.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.86

$6.95 KES 899

49.35%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.44 KES 315

13.52%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.74 KES 95.8

204.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$0.50 KES 64.5

214.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$1.73 KES 223

101.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.42

$1.98 KES 256

102.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.92 KES 120

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.44 KES 57.5

295.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$1.33 KES 171

30.83%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.71

$1.37 KES 177

132.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.47

$11.51 KES 1,488

16.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.83

$6.86 KES 887

16.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

$1.98 KES 255

712.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.02 KES 390

-24.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.07 KES 139

60.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.09 KES 270

-7.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$1.04 KES 135

144.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

$1.03 KES 134

77.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$1.11 KES 144

83.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.69 KES 88.6

186.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.82 KES 106

3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

$2.35 KES 304

191.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.93

$5.65 KES 731

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.73 KES 223

-20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.91 KES 247

51.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

$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 €15.60

$2.96 KES 383

517.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.02 KES 132

97.06%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

$22.1K KES 2.9M

59.65%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$19.7K KES 2.6M

94.99%

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

$145 €124

$34.17 KES 4,415

325.52%

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

$20.96 €17.90

$17.06 KES 2,205

22.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.21

$38.97 KES 5,036

2.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.66

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.74

$6.30 KES 814

43.81%

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

$607 €518

$202 KES 26.1K

200.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$7,948 KES 1.0M

105.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$18.57 KES 2,400

463.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

$24.27 KES 3,136

68.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €79.9

$66.5 KES 8,593

40.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$56.7 KES 7,324

109.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,370

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,055

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,601

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,756

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

$615 KES 79.5K

1153.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Thika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $176 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 366% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $478 including rent). Thika is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $717 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 54% 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 $478 in Thika – a 366% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $478 in Thika versus $2,227 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 366% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.