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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,838 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $4,128 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $6,418 in Barbados.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 25% more expensive than in Barbados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Barbados 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$24.97 BBD 49.93

-29.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$110 BBD 221

-43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$12.74 BBD 25.49

-9.11%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.64 BBD 9.28

-33.19%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.21 BBD 4.43

12.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.73 BBD 3.45

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.98 BBD 5.95

16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.05 BBD 8.10

-15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$3.50 BBD 7.01

-67.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.69 BBD 5.37

-29.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$4.06 BBD 8.13

-63.05%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$5.88 BBD 11.76

-32.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$6.72 BBD 13.43

97.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.36 BBD 20.71

-22.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$11.28 BBD 22.55

59.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.97 BBD 9.95

-52.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$4.25 BBD 8.49

-58.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$5.45 BBD 10.90

-66.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.72 BBD 11.44

-55.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$6.95 BBD 13.90

-73.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$4.95 BBD 9.90

-57.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.77 BBD 5.53

-46.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.73 BBD 5.47

-69.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$7.07 BBD 14.13

0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$16.15 BBD 32.30

-63.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.72 BBD 3.45

-23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.91 BBD 5.82

-26.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.72 BBD 3.43

37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$5.08 BBD 10.16

-19.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.32 BBD 6.65

-65.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.97 BBD 3.95

17.26%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$49.7K BBD 99.3K

-31.28%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$39.2K BBD 78.5K

5.48%

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

$169 €147

$99.9 BBD 200

68.79%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$49.77 BBD 99.5

-61.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$86.4 BBD 173

-61.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$73.6 BBD 147

-33.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.99 BBD 17.97

6.45%

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

$696 €606

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$47.14 BBD 94.3

123.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$19.93 BBD 39.86

139.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$60.0 BBD 120

67.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$661 BBD 1,321

151.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$656 BBD 1,312

89.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$1,831 BBD 3,662

61.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$3,383 BBD 6,766

-39.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$1,350 BBD 2,700

20.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-65.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Barbados: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $661 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 21% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $110 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $430 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 25% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,838 including rent). Barbados is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $661 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barbados – a meal for two runs $110 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,838 in Barbados – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,838 in Barbados versus $2,296 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 25% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.