Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Aruba Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Aruba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $2,375 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $4,239 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $6,104 in Aruba.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 5% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Aruba 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$14.47 AWG 25.89

21.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$89.3 AWG 160

-27.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$10.52 AWG 18.82

10.74%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$5.13 AWG 9.19

-36.45%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.35 AWG 4.20

5.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.18 AWG 3.91

-23.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$5.16 AWG 9.23

-32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$7.01 AWG 12.55

-48.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.61 AWG 2.87

-26.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.86 AWG 5.12

-31.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$3.02 AWG 5.41

-48.34%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.75 AWG 6.72

6.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$13.72 AWG 24.56

-3.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.23 AWG 7.56

99.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.99 AWG 3.56

-13.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.54 AWG 4.55

-6.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.46 AWG 4.40

-8.54%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

$234 AWG 418

-26.82%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$130 AWG 233

-85.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$84.0 AWG 150

-59.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

$305 AWG 545

129.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$17.6K AWG 31.5K

0.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$65.1 AWG 117

-26.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$119 AWG 212

-14.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$660 AWG 1,182

151.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$1,372 AWG 2,456

-10.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$3,200 AWG 5,728

-8.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$4,004 AWG 7,167

-49.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,932 AWG 3,458

-16.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Aruba: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $660 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 19% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $89.0 in Aruba. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $146, with Aruba cheaper for home cooking.

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 Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Aruba differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $2,375 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Aruba. 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $660 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aruba pay roughly 93% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $2,375 in Aruba – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,268 in Lisbon versus $2,375 in Aruba, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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, Lisbon and Aruba 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.