Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $442 in Machakos versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $763 in Machakos versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,085 in Machakos versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 81% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Machakos is 67% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 307

$15.75 €13.74

-84.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.19 KES 4,936

$63.5 €55.3

-39.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 KES 857

$10.45 €9.11

-36.56%

Cappuccino

$1.89 KES 244

$2.91 €2.54

-35.05%

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

$0.71 KES 91.6

$2.29 €2.00

-69.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$1.50 €1.31

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 252

$3.56 €3.11

-45.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 342

$3.96 €3.46

-33.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$1.08 €0.94

-62.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.6

$1.76 €1.54

-72.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$1.70 €1.48

-55.29%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$3.25 €2.83

-57.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,475

$13.25 €11.55

-13.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 851

$7.70 €6.72

-14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 604

$15.77 €13.75

-70.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 KES 195

$2.28 €1.99

-33.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$1.66 €1.44

-55.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.17

$2.02 €1.76

-81.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.78

$2.47 €2.16

-84.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$1.79 €1.56

-59.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.07 €1.80

-61.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.0

$1.97 €1.72

-66.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.00

$0.83 €0.73

-55.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$6.55 €5.71

-52.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 KES 1,474

$5.57 €4.85

104.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.33 €1.16

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$3.01 €2.62

-7.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$4.23 €3.69

-82.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$0.85 €0.74

-14.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 379

$18.83 €16.41

-84.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$2.02 €1.76

-25.25%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$35.0K €30.5K

-38.93%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$39.6K €34.6K

-50.38%

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

$34.06 KES 4,402

$148 €129

-76.98%

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

$7.77 KES 1,004

$20.52 €17.89

-62.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 KES 1,471

$39.52 €34.46

-71.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 KES 778

$9.10 €7.93

-33.85%

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

$47.26 KES 6,109

$615 €536

-92.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$16.3K €14.2K

-50.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$102 €88.6

-88.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.79 KES 3,075

$42.09 €36.69

-43.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 KES 8,522

$92.3 €80.5

-28.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.20 KES 4,937

$122 €106

-68.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$1,612 €1,405

-94.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.4 KES 8,838

$1,254 €1,093

-94.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.1K

$3,069 €2,676

-94.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$2,037 €1,776

-94.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 KES 49.1K

$1,602 €1,396

-76.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

3.81

289.50%

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

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 322% 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: $38.00 in Machakos vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $267 per month, with Machakos 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

Machakos vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos and Lisbon differ by about 416% in total monthly costs ($442 vs $2,280 including rent). Machakos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 322% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $92.3 in Machakos versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $442 per month in Machakos versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 416% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos 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, Machakos and Lisbon 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 Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 416% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.