Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,838 in Barbados versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,128 in Barbados versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,418 in Barbados versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Barbados costs roughly 20% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 34% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 BBD 49.93

$17.59 €15.32

41.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 BBD 221

$62.9 €54.8

75.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 BBD 25.49

$11.58 €10.09

10.02%

Cappuccino

$4.64 BBD 9.28

$3.10 €2.70

49.68%

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

$2.21 BBD 4.43

$2.49 €2.17

-11.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BBD 3.45

$1.74 €1.52

-0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BBD 5.95

$3.48 €3.03

-14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 BBD 8.10

$3.44 €3.00

17.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.50 BBD 7.01

$1.15 €1.00

204.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 BBD 5.37

$1.91 €1.66

40.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 BBD 8.13

$1.50 €1.31

170.67%

Eggs

$5.88 BBD 11.76

$3.98 €3.47

47.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 BBD 13.43

$13.29 €11.58

-49.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 BBD 20.71

$8.01 €6.98

29.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 BBD 22.55

$18.04 €15.72

-37.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 BBD 9.95

$2.35 €2.05

111.49%

Banana (1kg)

$4.25 BBD 8.49

$1.75 €1.52

142.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.45 BBD 10.90

$1.85 €1.62

194.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.72 BBD 11.44

$2.55 €2.22

124.31%

Potato (1kg)

$6.95 BBD 13.90

$1.84 €1.61

277.72%

Onion (1kg)

$4.95 BBD 9.90

$2.10 €1.83

135.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 BBD 5.53

$1.49 €1.29

85.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 BBD 5.47

$0.82 €0.71

232.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 BBD 14.13

$7.10 €6.18

-0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.15 BBD 32.30

$5.91 €5.15

173.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 BBD 3.45

$1.31 €1.15

31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 BBD 5.82

$2.13 €1.86

36.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 BBD 3.43

$2.36 €2.05

-27.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 BBD 10.16

$4.08 €3.55

24.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 BBD 6.65

$1.14 €0.99

191.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 BBD 3.95

$2.31 €2.01

-14.72%

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

$49.7K BBD 99.3K

$34.1K €29.7K

45.51%

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

$39.2K BBD 78.5K

$41.4K €36.0K

-5.19%

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

$99.9 BBD 200

$169 €147

-40.75%

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

$49.77 BBD 99.5

$19.33 €16.84

157.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.4 BBD 173

$33.51 €29.20

157.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 BBD 147

$48.84 €42.55

50.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 BBD 17.97

$9.57 €8.34

-6.06%

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

$696 €606

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.14 BBD 94.3

$105 €91.7

-55.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.93 BBD 39.86

$47.75 €41.60

-58.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 BBD 120

$101 €87.6

-40.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 BBD 1,321

$1,662 €1,448

-60.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 BBD 1,312

$1,246 €1,086

-47.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 BBD 3,662

$2,965 €2,583

-38.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,383 BBD 6,766

$2,049 €1,785

65.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,350 BBD 2,700

$1,632 €1,421

-17.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

191.01%

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

Last update for Barbados: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Barbados and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon 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: $110 in Barbados vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $277 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

Barbados vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbados and Lisbon differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,838 vs $2,296 including rent). Barbados is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $661 in Barbados versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barbados – a meal for two runs $110 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,838 per month in Barbados versus $2,296 in Lisbon – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,838 in Barbados versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barbados but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Barbados 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, Barbados 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 Barbados gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.