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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,951 in Barbados.

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

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

Living in Lisbon is roughly 14% more expensive than Barbados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$20.29 BBD 40.58

-20.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$112 BBD 224

-42.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$10.42 BBD 20.83

-0.38%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$4.51 BBD 9.02

-38.58%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.04 BBD 4.08

10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.42 BBD 2.85

10.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$3.08 BBD 6.15

13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.94 BBD 7.89

1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$3.66 BBD 7.32

-70.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.67 BBD 5.34

-34.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$4.58 BBD 9.15

-62.01%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$6.08 BBD 12.17

-47.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$6.85 BBD 13.69

96.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$13.09 BBD 26.17

-38.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$10.32 BBD 20.64

55.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.74 BBD 9.48

-51.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$3.04 BBD 6.08

-43.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$5.42 BBD 10.85

-64.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$5.36 BBD 10.72

-52.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$5.46 BBD 10.93

-66.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$4.87 BBD 9.74

-58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$2.86 BBD 5.72

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$3.06 BBD 6.13

-72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$7.43 BBD 14.87

-7.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$16.05 BBD 32.10

-63.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.73 BBD 3.46

-20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.84 BBD 5.68

2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.74 BBD 3.47

31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$6.37 BBD 12.74

-35.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.35 BBD 6.71

-75.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$22.18 BBD 44.37

-17.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$2.02 BBD 4.04

-0.50%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

-30.17%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$39.3K BBD 78.5K

-1.98%

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

$145 €124

$195 BBD 390

-25.35%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$48.60 BBD 97.2

-56.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$85.7 BBD 171

-53.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$72.5 BBD 145

-32.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$10.05 BBD 20.11

-9.85%

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

$607 €519

$264 BBD 529

129.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$54.9 BBD 110

90.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$28.75 BBD 57.5

42.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$86.9 BBD 174

7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$56.0 BBD 112

111.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$654 BBD 1,308

145.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$661 BBD 1,322

86.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$2,108 BBD 4,216

44.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,395 BBD 2,790

47.42%

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)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,051 BBD 2,101

50.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.4

-48.51%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barbados: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $654 in Barbados. 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $112 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $434 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

Lisbon vs Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Barbados differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,951 including rent). Barbados is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 51% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $654 in Barbados. 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 $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,951 in Barbados – 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, Lisbon and Barbados 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.