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: $1,951 in Barbados versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,145 in Barbados versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,338 in Barbados versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Barbados costs roughly 12% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 46% above, Lisbon 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 BBD 40.58

$16.17 €13.84

25.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 224

$64.6 €55.3

73.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 BBD 20.83

$10.38 €8.88

0.39%

Cappuccino

$4.51 BBD 9.02

$2.77 €2.37

62.82%

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

$2.04 BBD 4.08

$2.25 €1.92

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BBD 2.85

$1.57 €1.35

-9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 BBD 6.15

$3.49 €2.99

-11.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 BBD 7.89

$4.00 €3.43

-1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.66 BBD 7.32

$1.08 €0.93

238.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 BBD 5.34

$1.74 €1.49

53.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 BBD 9.15

$1.74 €1.49

163.22%

Eggs

$6.08 BBD 12.17

$3.18 €2.72

91.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$13.43 €11.50

-48.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 BBD 26.17

$7.99 €6.84

63.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 BBD 20.64

$16.09 €13.77

-35.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 BBD 9.48

$2.28 €1.95

107.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 BBD 6.08

$1.72 €1.48

76.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 BBD 10.85

$1.94 €1.66

179.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 BBD 10.72

$2.54 €2.18

111.02%

Potato (1kg)

$5.46 BBD 10.93

$1.83 €1.57

198.36%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 BBD 9.74

$2.04 €1.75

138.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 BBD 5.72

$1.98 €1.69

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$0.85 €0.73

260.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.43 BBD 14.87

$6.85 €5.87

8.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 BBD 32.10

$5.78 €4.94

177.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$1.37 €1.18

26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$2.90 €2.48

-2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 BBD 3.47

$2.28 €1.95

-23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 BBD 12.74

$4.08 €3.49

56.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 BBD 6.71

$0.82 €0.70

308.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.18 BBD 44.37

$18.27 €15.64

21.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 BBD 4.04

$2.01 €1.72

0.50%

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

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

$35.3K €30.2K

43.21%

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

$39.3K BBD 78.5K

$38.5K €32.9K

2.02%

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

$195 BBD 390

$145 €124

33.96%

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

$48.60 BBD 97.2

$20.96 €17.94

131.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.7 BBD 171

$40.05 €34.29

113.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 BBD 145

$48.79 €41.76

48.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.11

$9.06 €7.76

10.93%

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

$264 BBD 529

$607 €519

-56.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 BBD 110

$105 €89.6

-47.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 BBD 57.5

$40.95 €35.06

-29.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 BBD 174

$93.6 €80.1

-7.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 BBD 112

$119 €101

-52.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 BBD 1,308

$1,604 €1,373

-59.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 BBD 1,322

$1,236 €1,058

-46.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 BBD 4,216

$3,046 €2,607

-30.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 BBD 2,790

$2,057 €1,761

-32.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 BBD 2,101

$1,584 €1,356

-33.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

3.81

94.23%

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

Last update for Barbados: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Barbados and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 51% 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: $112 in Barbados vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $271 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,951 vs $2,227 including rent). Barbados is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 51% less. 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: $654 in Barbados versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 60% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,951 per month in Barbados versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,951 in Barbados versus $2,227 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 14% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.