Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tobago Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tobago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,115 in Tobago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,875 in Tobago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,634 in Tobago.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 98% more expensive than Tobago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Tobago is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$8.99 TTD 60.2

76.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$65.6 TTD 439

-1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.23 TTD 48.47

45.37%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.63 TTD 24.32

-20.94%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.92 TTD 6.13

143.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.81 TTD 5.42

85.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.67 TTD 24.58

-4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.88 TTD 19.30

34.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.26 TTD 15.15

-49.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.30 TTD 15.42

-23.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.90 TTD 19.46

-39.31%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.48 TTD 30.01

-28.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.28 TTD 48.75

85.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.35 TTD 49.25

7.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$7.46 TTD 49.98

112.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$6.97 TTD 46.69

-66.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.36 TTD 15.83

-27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.92 TTD 19.58

-31.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.90 TTD 19.41

-15.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.21 TTD 8.11

52.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.20 TTD 8.04

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.59 TTD 10.67

21.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.31 TTD 8.76

-39.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$4.83 TTD 32.35

36.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$21.73 TTD 146

-73.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$3.42 TTD 22.91

-59.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.37 TTD 22.59

-11.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.77 TTD 5.15

207.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.76 TTD 5.06

464.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.77 TTD 5.18

6.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$15.24 TTD 102

20.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.04 TTD 6.94

98.08%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.7K TTD 178.8K

28.46%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$40.4K TTD 271.0K

-2.85%

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$60.2 TTD 404

-34.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$54.6 TTD 366

-12.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$15.05 TTD 101

25.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$7.43 TTD 49.79

23.55%

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

$614 €528

$96.9 TTD 649

533.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$51.7 TTD 346

102.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$46.21 TTD 310

-8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$154 TTD 1,029

-38.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$69.9 TTD 469

71.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$413 TTD 2,767

294.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$341 TTD 2,283

268.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$805 TTD 5,394

276.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$660 TTD 4,420

206.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$733 TTD 4,908

118.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-45.57%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tobago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $413 in Tobago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 119% 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 $66.0 in Tobago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $327 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 Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Tobago differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,115 including rent). Tobago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 119% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $413 in Tobago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,115 in Tobago – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,115 in Tobago versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tobago but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Tobago 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 Tobago 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 Tobago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.