Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bocas del Toro and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Bocas del Toro: $1,493 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,493

/mo nomad

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,223

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bocas del Toro 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 Bocas del Toro and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,493 in Bocas del Toro versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

Bocas del Toro $1,493
Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Bocas del Toro versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

Bocas del Toro $2,083
Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,673 in Bocas del Toro versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

Bocas del Toro $2,673
Lisbon $4,319

Living in Bocas del Toro costs roughly 33% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bocas del Toro 11% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 PAB 9.32

$16.50 €14.67

-43.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 PAB 50.0

$61.3 €54.5

-18.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 PAB 9.98

$11.27 €10.03

-11.45%

Cappuccino

$4.11 PAB 4.11

$3.06 €2.72

34.31%

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

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$2.26 €2.01

-24.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 PAB 1.66

$1.73 €1.54

-4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$3.39 €3.02

-42.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$3.40 €3.02

18.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

$1.12 €1.00

83.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 PAB 3.76

$1.86 €1.65

102.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 €1.36

Eggs

$2.68 PAB 2.68

$3.96 €3.53

-32.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 PAB 17.23

$12.76 €11.35

35.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 PAB 8.84

$7.90 €7.02

11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 PAB 8.44

$16.97 €15.09

-50.27%

Apples (1kg)

$9.93 PAB 9.93

$2.27 €2.02

337.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PAB 1.53

$1.75 €1.55

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.64

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 PAB 4.98

$2.57 €2.28

93.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

$1.86 €1.65

79.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$0.82 €0.73

92.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 €5.83

Wine (Bottle)

$5.62 €5.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 PAB 2.90

$1.28 €1.14

126.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$2.07 €1.84

23.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 €39.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 €3.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 €0.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.64 €14.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 €2.03

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

$33.7K €30.0K

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

$39.3K €35.0K

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

$167 €149

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

$40.68 PAB 40.68

$18.80 €16.72

116.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.96 PAB 34.96

$33.09 €29.43

5.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 €40.93

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 €17.07

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 €8.75

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

$677 €602

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €90.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 €40.70

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 €88.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 PAB 742

$1,614 €1,436

-54.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 PAB 910

$1,197 €1,065

-23.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 PAB 1,185

$2,862 €2,545

-58.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 PAB 1,178

$1,990 €1,770

-40.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,577 €6,740

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,307 €3,831

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$695 PAB 695

$1,588 €1,412

-56.22%

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 Bocas del Toro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bocas del Toro

–

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.9%

Groceries & Markets

Bocas del Toro

–

Lisbon

$269 12.1%

Eating Out

Bocas del Toro

–

Lisbon

$242 10.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bocas del Toro

–

Lisbon

$219 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Bocas del Toro

–

Lisbon

$166 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Bocas del Toro

–

Lisbon

$66 3%

Getting Around

Bocas del Toro

–

Lisbon

$63 2.8%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Bocas del Toro and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 128% 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: $50.0 in Bocas del Toro vs $61.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $322 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🕒 Local time

11:47 11:47 AM

17:47 5:47 PM

6 h ahead of Bocas del Toro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,228

545,923 Capital

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bocas del Toro Lisbon 7,900 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Bocas del Toro
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

Bocas del Toro vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bocas del Toro and Lisbon differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,493 vs $2,223 including rent). Bocas del Toro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 128% 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: $742 in Bocas del Toro versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bocas del Toro – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $61.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,493 per month in Bocas del Toro versus $2,223 in Lisbon – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,493 in Bocas del Toro versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bocas del Toro but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bocas del Toro 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, Bocas del Toro 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 Bocas del Toro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.