Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Papeete Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Papeete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $2,393 in Papeete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $3,560 in Papeete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $4,728 in Papeete.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 5% less than in Papeete, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Papeete 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$19.66 CFPF 2,014

-10.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$96.5 CFPF 9,885

-33.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$15.44 CFPF 1,582

-24.55%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.45 CFPF 353

-5.51%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.72 CFPF 279

-8.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$3.39 CFPF 348

-50.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.35 CFPF 343

3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.98 CFPF 408

-10.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.48 CFPF 151

-20.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.83 CFPF 290

-31.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.67 CFPF 171

-6.59%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$6.70 CFPF 687

-40.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$29.17 CFPF 2,989

-54.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$15.75 CFPF 1,613

-46.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$27.10 CFPF 2,776

-32.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.93 CFPF 505

-52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.53 CFPF 259

-31.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$6.86 CFPF 702

-71.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$8.14 CFPF 834

-67.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.82 CFPF 288

-32.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.33 CFPF 238

-9.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$3.95 CFPF 404

-63.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.20 CFPF 123

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$13.12 CFPF 1,344

-46.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$22.20 CFPF 2,274

-73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.82 CFPF 289

-51.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.18 CFPF 326

-32.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.96 CFPF 201

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$9.83 CFPF 1,008

-57.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.58 CFPF 161

42.41%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$19.4K CFPF 2.0M

77.25%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$29.2K CFPF 3.0M

42.59%

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

$171 €147

$186 CFPF 19.1K

-8.26%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$20.21 CFPF 2,070

-5.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$71.8 CFPF 7,353

-52.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$87.8 CFPF 8,992

-43.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$14.67 CFPF 1,503

-31.15%

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

$699 €603

$482 CFPF 49.4K

45.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$9,779 CFPF 1.0M

81.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$72.2 CFPF 7,392

44.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$75.7 CFPF 7,753

-36.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$80.4 CFPF 8,234

26.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$92.2 CFPF 9,442

39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$1,365 CFPF 139.9K

21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$964 CFPF 98.8K

27.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,928 CFPF 197.6K

51.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,584 CFPF 162.3K

27.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$7,343 CFPF 752.3K

10.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$7,943 CFPF 813.7K

-41.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$2,446 CFPF 250.5K

-33.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.5

-16.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Papeete: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $1,365 in Papeete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Papeete 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $96.0 in Papeete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $540 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 Papeete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Papeete differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $2,393 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Papeete. 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 $1,365 in Papeete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Papeete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $2,393 in Papeete – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Papeete 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 6% less than in Papeete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.