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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $472 in Thika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $791 in Thika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,110 in Thika.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 383% more expensive than in Thika, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Thika is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$5.46 KES 705

188.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$38.67 KES 4,998

64.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$6.85 KES 885

52.55%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$2.41 KES 311

20.75%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.75 KES 96.6

205.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.50 KES 65.0

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$1.65 KES 213

115.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$1.99 KES 257

98.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$0.87 KES 113

24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.44 KES 56.9

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.37 KES 177

24.09%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$1.35 KES 174

140.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$11.55 KES 1,493

14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$6.85 KES 885

12.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$1.88 KES 243

738.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.02 KES 391

-24.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.04 KES 134

59.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.11 KES 273

-4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$1.00 KES 129

147.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.07 KES 138

67.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.11 KES 144

86.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.65 KES 83.9

203.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.76 KES 98.1

9.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$2.37 KES 306

176.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$5.67 KES 733

-1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.69 KES 218

-21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$1.98 KES 256

52.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$1.57 KES 203

169.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.53 KES 197

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$2.97 KES 384

534.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.05 KES 136

92.38%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

59.01%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$19.9K KES 2.6M

99.53%

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

$148 €129

$33.97 KES 4,391

335.47%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$16.57 KES 2,142

23.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$39.97 KES 5,166

-1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$6.13 KES 793

48.45%

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

$615 €536

$203 KES 26.3K

202.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$8,150 KES 1.1M

99.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$18.27 KES 2,362

455.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$24.31 KES 3,142

73.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$66.4 KES 8,585

38.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$55.6 KES 7,190

119.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

$613 KES 79.3K

1163.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Thika: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Thika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $174 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 383% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $472 including rent). Thika is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $707 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 $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $472 in Thika – a 383% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $472 in Thika versus $2,280 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 383% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.