Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Avarua and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Avarua: $1,638 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Avarua

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

$1,638

/mo nomad

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Avarua and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Avarua and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,638 per month in Avarua vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

Avarua $1,638
Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $1,652 per month in Avarua vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

Avarua $1,652
Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $1,666 per month in Avarua vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

Avarua $1,666
Lisbon $4,341

Avarua is about 26% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Avarua and Lisbon sit above the global median – Avarua by 20%, Lisbon by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.47 NZ$20.19

$16.65 €14.96

-31.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 NZ$101

$61.7 €55.5

-6.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 NZ$14.91

$11.36 €10.20

-25.44%

Cappuccino

$3.16 NZ$5.57

$2.97 €2.67

6.40%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.95

$2.29 €2.06

-2.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NZ$4.05

$1.74 €1.56

32.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 NZ$9.88

$3.40 €3.06

65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 NZ$7.39

$3.31 €2.97

26.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.92

$1.16 €1.04

43.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 NZ$5.86

$1.91 €1.72

74.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 NZ$2.96

$1.51 €1.36

11.26%

Eggs

$4.76 NZ$8.38

$4.02 €3.61

18.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 NZ$20.38

$12.94 €11.62

-10.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 NZ$13.87

$7.77 €6.99

1.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 NZ$18.29

$17.76 €15.96

-41.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 NZ$4.95

$2.30 €2.07

22.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 NZ$2.96

$1.73 €1.56

-2.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 NZ$6.16

$1.86 €1.67

88.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.14 NZ$16.08

$2.59 €2.33

252.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 NZ$4.96

$1.82 €1.64

54.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.88

$1.97 €1.77

12.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 NZ$3.93

$1.47 €1.32

51.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$5.12

$0.72 €0.65

304.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.92

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 NZ$25.06

$5.61 €5.04

153.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 NZ$7.35

$2.14 €1.92

95.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 NZ$4.96

$2.33 €2.10

21.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.68 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 €3.46

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.46 €14.79

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 NZ$3.85

$2.20 €1.98

-0.45%

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

$34.2K €30.7K

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

$38.7K €34.8K

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

$112 NZ$197

$161 €145

-30.61%

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

$18.41 €16.54

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.74 €29.41

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.55 €40.03

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 €8.62

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

$668 €600

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €91.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 €39.95

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 €88.5

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$968 NZ$1,703

$1,608 €1,445

-39.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$947 NZ$1,666

$1,190 €1,069

-20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 NZ$202

$2,812 €2,527

-95.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,809

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,839 €7,043

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$944 NZ$1,662

$4,576 €4,111

-79.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 €1,415

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

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

Last update for Avarua: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Avarua

–

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.8%

Groceries & Markets

Avarua

–

Lisbon

$272 12.3%

Eating Out

Avarua

–

Lisbon

$243 11%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Avarua

–

Lisbon

$212 9.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Avarua

–

Lisbon

$166 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Avarua

–

Lisbon

$64 2.9%

Getting Around

Avarua

–

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $968 in Avarua versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58 in Avarua versus $62 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Avarua vs $272 in Lisbon – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇰 Avarua

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🕒 Local time

04:24 4:24 AM

14:24 2:24 PM

10 h ahead of Avarua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,000 Capital

545,923 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.568 USD

1 NZD = 0.511 EUR

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 NZD (1 NZD = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 NZD (1 NZD = 0.511 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Avarua Lisbon 16,610 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Avarua
Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Avarua vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 35% more than Avarua, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,457 per month in Avarua and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Avarua, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $968 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,638 in Avarua and $2,210 in Lisbon. That’s a gap of about 35%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Avarua, where all-in costs run around $1,638, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Avarua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,638 in Avarua to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.