Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $344 in Malindi versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $574 in Malindi versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $804 in Malindi versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Malindi costs roughly 84% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Malindi is 74% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 KES 283

$15.91 €13.69

-86.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.16 KES 4,037

$64.8 €55.7

-51.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

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

$1.58 KES 205

$2.24 €1.93

-29.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.50 €1.29

-40.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 KES 441

$3.49 €3.00

-2.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 KES 460

$3.88 €3.34

-8.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$1.14 €0.98

-20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$1.76 €1.51

-27.84%

Eggs

$2.98 KES 387

$3.22 €2.77

-7.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,496

$13.49 €11.61

-14.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 KES 799

$7.91 €6.81

-22.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 KES 659

$15.87 €13.65

-67.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 KES 412

$2.31 €1.99

37.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.70 €1.46

-53.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 KES 359

$2.01 €1.73

37.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 91.8

$2.46 €2.12

-71.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 KES 105

$1.84 €1.59

-55.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 86.1

$2.00 €1.72

-67.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.5

$0.79 €0.68

-37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 KES 183

$2.06 €1.78

-31.55%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$77.3 KES 10.0K

$148 €127

-47.73%

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 KES 4,049

$39.61 €34.08

-21.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.10 KES 4,935

$47.85 €41.16

-20.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 KES 49.3K

$3,030 €2,607

-87.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Malindi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $31.00 in Malindi vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $269 per month, with Malindi 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

Malindi vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malindi and Lisbon differ by about 543% in total monthly costs ($344 vs $2,210 including rent). Malindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $516 in Malindi and $3,315 in Lisbon 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Malindi – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $344 per month in Malindi versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 543% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $344 in Malindi versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Malindi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Malindi 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, Malindi 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 Malindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 543% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.