Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,799 in Aruba versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,039 in Aruba versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,279 in Aruba versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Aruba is roughly 27% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aruba 109% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 AWG 23.59

$15.91 €13.69

-17.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 AWG 160

$64.8 €55.7

37.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 AWG 17.96

$10.51 €9.04

-4.47%

Cappuccino

$4.90 AWG 8.77

$2.87 €2.47

70.73%

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

$2.31 AWG 4.12

$2.24 €1.93

3.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 AWG 3.73

$1.50 €1.29

39.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 AWG 7.50

$3.49 €3.00

20.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 AWG 11.20

$3.88 €3.34

61.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 AWG 4.27

$1.14 €0.98

109.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 AWG 6.66

$1.75 €1.51

112.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 AWG 7.02

$1.76 €1.51

122.73%

Eggs

$5.61 AWG 10.04

$3.22 €2.77

74.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.39 AWG 58.0

$13.49 €11.61

140.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 AWG 11.66

$7.91 €6.81

-17.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 AWG 29.90

$15.87 €13.65

5.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 AWG 10.59

$2.31 €1.99

156.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 AWG 5.23

$1.70 €1.46

71.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.95 AWG 12.43

$2.01 €1.73

245.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.23 AWG 14.73

$2.46 €2.12

234.55%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 AWG 7.31

$1.84 €1.59

121.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 AWG 6.73

$2.00 €1.72

88.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.09 AWG 10.90

$1.93 €1.66

215.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 AWG 6.89

$0.79 €0.68

387.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.75 AWG 31.76

$6.61 €5.68

168.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.08 AWG 32.35

$5.72 €4.92

216.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 AWG 9.07

$2.97 €2.56

70.71%

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 AWG 2.53

$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)

$257 AWG 460

$148 €127

73.84%

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

$131 AWG 234

$20.52 €17.65

537.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 AWG 119

$39.61 €34.08

67.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 AWG 108

$47.85 €41.16

26.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 AWG 23.03

$9.18 €7.90

40.20%

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

$304 AWG 544

$614 €528

-50.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K AWG 31.7K

$16.0K €13.8K

10.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.48 AWG 88.5

$105 €90.0

-52.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 AWG 117

$42.06 €36.18

55.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 AWG 219

$94.0 €80.8

30.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 AWG 1,312

$1,628 €1,400

-54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 AWG 2,487

$1,255 €1,080

10.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,140 AWG 5,620

$3,030 €2,607

3.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,018 AWG 7,190

$2,020 €1,738

98.87%

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)

$1,895 AWG 3,391

$1,603 €1,379

18.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

83.73%

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

Last update for Aruba: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Aruba and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 18% 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: $89.0 in Aruba vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $532 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon 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

Aruba vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aruba and Lisbon differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,799 vs $2,210 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aruba pays 18% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Aruba versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 97% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,799 per month in Aruba versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,799 in Aruba, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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, Aruba 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.