Cost of Living Comparison Between Meru and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Meru and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Meru versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $822 in Meru versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,155 in Meru versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Meru costs roughly 79% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Meru is 63% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 KES 717

$15.75 €13.64

-64.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.95 KES 5,034

$63.5 €55.0

-38.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 KES 866

$10.45 €9.05

-35.89%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KES 322

$2.91 €2.52

-14.43%

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

$0.70 KES 91.0

$2.29 €1.98

-69.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.6

$1.50 €1.30

-64.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 295

$3.56 €3.09

-35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$3.96 €3.43

-28.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 108

$1.08 €0.94

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KES 52.6

$1.76 €1.53

-76.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.70 €1.47

-37.65%

Eggs

$1.41 KES 182

$3.25 €2.81

-56.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 KES 1,528

$13.25 €11.47

-10.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 KES 873

$7.70 €6.67

-12.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 KES 631

$15.77 €13.66

-69.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 KES 399

$2.28 €1.97

35.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$1.66 €1.43

-54.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.02 €1.75

-60.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.6

$2.47 €2.14

-69.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.79 €1.55

-40.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 KES 128

$2.07 €1.79

-52.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 KES 28.36

$1.97 €1.71

-88.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 57.1

$0.83 €0.72

-46.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 KES 397

$6.55 €5.68

-53.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 KES 1,481

$5.57 €4.82

105.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 298

$1.33 €1.15

72.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$3.01 €2.60

-7.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$4.23 €3.66

-62.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 196

$0.85 €0.73

78.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 KES 369

$18.83 €16.31

-84.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 KES 134

$2.02 €1.75

-49.01%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$35.0K €30.3K

-38.23%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$39.6K €34.3K

-49.38%

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

$34.33 KES 4,437

$148 €128

-76.79%

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

$16.69 KES 2,157

$20.52 €17.77

-18.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.11 KES 5,055

$39.52 €34.23

-1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 KES 794

$9.10 €7.88

-32.53%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$615 €532

-67.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,069 KES 1.0M

$16.3K €14.1K

-50.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.42 KES 2,380

$102 €88.0

-81.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.74 KES 3,068

$42.09 €36.45

-43.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 KES 8,402

$92.3 €79.9

-29.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.1 KES 7,385

$122 €106

-53.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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 Meru: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Meru vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $267 per month, with Meru 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

Meru vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meru and Lisbon differ by about 366% in total monthly costs ($489 vs $2,280 including rent). Meru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $734 in Meru and $3,420 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $489 per month in Meru versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 366% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $489 in Meru versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Meru but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Meru 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, Meru 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 Meru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 366% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.