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: $512 in Machakos versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $788 in Machakos versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,063 in Machakos versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 77% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Machakos is 63% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.18 KES 411

$17.55 €15.12

-81.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 KES 2,475

$64.5 €55.6

-70.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 KES 795

$11.65 €10.04

-47.21%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KES 267

$3.26 €2.81

-36.50%

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

$0.56 KES 72.8

$2.49 €2.15

-77.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.8

$1.67 €1.44

-69.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 KES 271

$3.47 €2.99

-39.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

$3.58 €3.08

-25.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$1.18 €1.02

-66.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 60.9

$1.95 €1.68

-75.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.56 €1.35

-49.36%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 175

$4.01 €3.46

-66.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 KES 1,355

$13.27 €11.44

-21.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 KES 831

$8.42 €7.26

-23.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 KES 602

$18.23 €15.72

-74.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.32 €2.00

-34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$1.73 €1.49

-57.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.3

$1.93 €1.67

-79.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.1

$2.64 €2.27

-84.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.2

$1.90 €1.64

-60.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$2.11 €1.82

-64.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.7

$1.44 €1.24

-52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$0.80 €0.69

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 KES 463

$7.01 €6.04

-48.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 KES 1,485

$5.92 €5.11

93.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

$1.36 €1.18

44.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 373

$2.15 €1.85

33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

$4.19 €3.61

-81.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.10 €0.95

-28.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$17.26 €14.88

-82.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$2.25 €1.94

-32.89%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$34.5K €29.7K

-41.47%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$41.6K €35.9K

-52.89%

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

$60.1 KES 7,775

$171 €147

-64.81%

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

$7.94 KES 1,027

$19.01 €16.38

-58.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 KES 1,516

$34.28 €29.55

-65.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.06 KES 4,922

$49.65 €42.80

-23.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 KES 1,023

$10.10 €8.71

-21.68%

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

$45.50 KES 5,884

$699 €603

-93.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$17.8K €15.3K

-34.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 KES 1,518

$105 €90.2

-88.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.50 KES 3,297

$47.97 €41.35

-46.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 KES 8,293

$102 €87.8

-37.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.12 KES 4,930

$128 €111

-70.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.5 KES 12.2K

$1,661 €1,432

-94.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.1 KES 9,058

$1,228 €1,059

-94.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.2K

$2,915 €2,513

-94.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$2,023 €1,744

-94.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 KES 50.1K

$1,619 €1,396

-76.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

3.78

289.15%

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

Last update for Machakos: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $94.5 in Machakos and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 318% 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: $19.00 in Machakos vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $281 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 343% in total monthly costs ($512 vs $2,268 including rent). Machakos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 318% 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: $94.5 in Machakos versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $512 per month in Machakos versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 343% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $512 in Machakos versus $2,268 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 343% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.