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: $363 in Malindi versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $592 in Malindi versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $821 in Malindi versus $4,354 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 73% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 KES 283

$16.19 €14.15

-86.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.56 KES 4,077

$63.3 €55.3

-50.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.02

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

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

$1.52 KES 196

$2.29 €2.00

-33.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 KES 122

$1.58 €1.38

-40.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 KES 448

$3.40 €2.97

2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 KES 462

$4.03 €3.52

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$1.09 €0.95

-16.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 KES 158

$1.76 €1.54

-30.11%

Eggs

$2.96 KES 382

$3.17 €2.77

-6.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 KES 1,498

$13.19 €11.53

-12.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 810

$7.97 €6.96

-21.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 KES 654

$15.53 €13.57

-67.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 KES 397

$2.37 €2.07

29.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$1.71 €1.49

-56.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 KES 340

$2.01 €1.75

30.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.1

$2.43 €2.12

-71.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.76 €1.54

-55.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.3

$2.03 €1.78

-67.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 66.6

$0.85 €0.74

-38.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.75

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 KES 989

$5.58 €4.87

37.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 KES 186

$2.08 €1.82

-30.77%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.2K

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

$77.5 KES 10.0K

$148 €129

-47.63%

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

$20.46 €17.88

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 KES 4,077

$39.56 €34.56

-20.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.14 KES 4,927

$47.99 €41.93

-20.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.06

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

$616 €538

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,426

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,077

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 KES 49.9K

$3,098 €2,707

-87.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Malindi vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $267 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 532% in total monthly costs ($363 vs $2,291 including rent). Malindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $544 in Malindi and $3,437 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 $32.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $363 per month in Malindi versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 532% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $363 in Malindi versus $2,291 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 532% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.