Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arima Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,184 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,919 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,653 in Arima, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 87% more than Arima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Arima is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$8.96 TTD 60.0

77.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$72.5 TTD 486

-10.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.32 TTD 49.03

43.58%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.42 TTD 16.24

18.60%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.96 TTD 6.46

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.71 TTD 4.73

111.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.64 TTD 10.99

112.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.89 TTD 19.38

34.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.32 TTD 15.55

-50.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.26 TTD 15.17

-22.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.25 TTD 15.09

-21.78%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.24 TTD 28.37

-24.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$5.91 TTD 39.58

128.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.82 TTD 38.97

35.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$4.41 TTD 29.54

259.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$5.97 TTD 40.00

-61.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.03 TTD 13.63

-16.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$4.26 TTD 28.53

-52.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$4.45 TTD 29.78

-44.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.04 TTD 6.97

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.79 TTD 5.27

153.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.51 TTD 10.09

27.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.20 TTD 8.06

-34.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$4.32 TTD 28.97

53.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$18.50 TTD 124

-69.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.96 TTD 13.14

-30.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.72 TTD 18.21

9.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.80 TTD 5.34

196.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.98 TTD 6.58

337.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.71 TTD 4.76

15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$14.94 TTD 100

22.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.93 TTD 6.20

121.51%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.8K TTD 179.7K

27.77%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$27.6K TTD 185.1K

42.23%

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

$148 €127

$81.4 TTD 545

81.64%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$44.96 TTD 301

-54.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$61.4 TTD 411

-35.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$48.83 TTD 327

-2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.11 TTD 34.23

79.65%

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

$614 €528

$133 TTD 888

363.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,247 TTD 48.6K

121.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$52.4 TTD 351

99.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$26.74 TTD 179

57.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$127 TTD 848

-25.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$75.2 TTD 504

59.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$475 TTD 3,183

242.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$355 TTD 2,376

254.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$856 TTD 5,736

253.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$721 TTD 4,828

180.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,183 TTD 7,926

35.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

27.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arima: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $475 in Arima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $73.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $291 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 87% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,777 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,184 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $133 in Arima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,184, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arima costs $1,184 versus $2,210 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Arima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.