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: $2,873 in Aruba versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,038 in Aruba versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,204 in Aruba versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Aruba is roughly 25% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aruba 115% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.13 AWG 23.50

$16.19 €14.17

-18.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 AWG 164

$63.3 €55.4

44.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 AWG 17.74

$10.32 €9.03

-3.97%

Cappuccino

$4.82 AWG 8.62

$2.83 €2.48

70.32%

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

$2.26 AWG 4.04

$2.29 €2.00

-1.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 AWG 3.55

$1.58 €1.38

25.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 AWG 7.46

$3.40 €2.98

22.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 AWG 10.65

$4.03 €3.52

47.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.09 €0.95

111.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 AWG 6.70

$1.75 €1.53

113.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 AWG 6.98

$1.76 €1.54

121.59%

Eggs

$5.62 AWG 10.06

$3.17 €2.77

77.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.28 AWG 57.8

$13.19 €11.54

144.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 AWG 12.08

$7.97 €6.97

-15.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 AWG 29.91

$15.53 €13.59

7.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 AWG 10.64

$2.37 €2.07

151.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.07

$1.71 €1.49

65.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.05 AWG 12.61

$2.01 €1.76

250.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.16 AWG 14.60

$2.43 €2.13

235.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 AWG 7.09

$1.76 €1.54

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 AWG 6.86

$2.03 €1.78

89.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.95 AWG 10.64

$1.92 €1.68

209.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.70 AWG 6.61

$0.85 €0.74

335.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.43 AWG 31.20

$6.58 €5.76

164.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.21 AWG 32.59

$5.58 €4.88

226.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 AWG 8.89

$2.97 €2.60

67.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 AWG 2.57

$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 €34.3K

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

$254 AWG 454

$148 €130

71.25%

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

$130 AWG 233

$20.46 €17.90

535.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 AWG 119

$39.56 €34.61

68.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 AWG 109

$47.99 €41.99

27.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 AWG 23.19

$9.22 €8.07

40.56%

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

$301 AWG 539

$616 €539

-51.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K AWG 32.0K

$16.4K €14.4K

8.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.11 AWG 87.9

$103 €89.9

-52.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 AWG 116

$41.74 €36.52

55.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 AWG 214

$94.8 €82.9

26.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 AWG 1,307

$1,633 €1,428

-55.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 AWG 2,485

$1,232 €1,078

12.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,245 AWG 5,806

$3,098 €2,711

4.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,068 AWG 7,280

$2,031 €1,777

100.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,939 AWG 3,470

$1,607 €1,406

20.63%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Aruba and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 21% 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: $92.0 in Aruba vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 vs $267 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 25% in total monthly costs ($2,873 vs $2,291 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Aruba, 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: $730 in Aruba versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 98% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,873 per month in Aruba versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,873 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 25% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.