Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rarotonga Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rarotonga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $1,355 in Rarotonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $2,003 in Rarotonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $2,650 in Rarotonga.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 65% more expensive than Rarotonga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 67% above, Rarotonga 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$12.13 NZ$20.50

29.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$59.4 NZ$100

6.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$7.72 NZ$13.04

33.68%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$4.42 NZ$7.48

-36.43%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$3.42 NZ$5.77

-31.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.89 NZ$4.88

-47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$6.67 NZ$11.28

-49.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$5.53 NZ$9.34

-29.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$2.20 NZ$3.72

-50.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.87 NZ$4.84

-39.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.49 NZ$2.51

17.45%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$6.48 NZ$10.95

-52.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$8.89 NZ$15.02

49.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$7.05 NZ$11.92

11.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$7.15 NZ$12.09

124.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$3.05 NZ$5.15

-21.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$3.03 NZ$5.12

-43.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$3.68 NZ$6.21

-46.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$2.94 NZ$4.97

-13.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.78 NZ$3.01

0.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.38 NZ$2.33

42.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.76 NZ$2.97

11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$3.69 NZ$6.23

-77.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$14.84 NZ$25.07

-54.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$11.95 NZ$20.19

-51.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$3.56 NZ$6.01

-61.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$5.46 NZ$9.22

-46.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$2.96 NZ$5.00

-22.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$20.86 NZ$35.26

-80.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$36.20 NZ$61.2

-47.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.86 NZ$3.15

12.37%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

185.87%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

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

$150 €128

$92.0 NZ$155

62.64%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$30.46 NZ$51.5

-32.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$105 NZ$178

-62.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$25.30 NZ$42.76

96.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$23.83 NZ$40.28

-22.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$7.13 NZ$12.05

29.03%

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

$624 €533

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$1,433 NZ$2,422

1009.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$491 NZ$829

236.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$474 NZ$801

159.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$718 NZ$1,214

323.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$722 NZ$1,220

185.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$4,055 NZ$6,853

-61.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-52.37%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $491 in Rarotonga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 159% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63 in Lisbon vs $59 in Rarotonga. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $341, with Lisbon 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 Rarotonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rarotonga differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $1,355 including rent). Rarotonga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rarotonga earns 159% less. 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $491 in Rarotonga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rarotonga – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $1,355 in Rarotonga – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,355 in Rarotonga versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rarotonga but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.