Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Papeete and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,283 in Papeete, rent and utilities included – about $880 less a year. The total is higher in Papeete despite lower rent and utilities.

Papeete, French Polynesia
Lisbon, Portugal
Papeete
🇵🇫 French Polynesia
$2,283
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Papeete and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Papeete and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,283 in Papeete versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Papeete $2,283
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,451 in Papeete versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Papeete $3,451
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,620 in Papeete versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Papeete $4,620
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Papeete is roughly 3% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Papeete 68% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.56 CFPF 1,980
$16.65 €14.95
11.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$95.4 CFPF 10.2K
$61.7 €55.5
54.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.54 CFPF 1,551
$11.36 €10.20
27.99%
Cappuccino
$3.41 CFPF 364
$2.97 €2.67
14.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 CFPF 280
$2.29 €2.06
14.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 CFPF 346
$1.74 €1.56
86.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 CFPF 358
$3.40 €3.06
-1.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 CFPF 402
$3.31 €2.97
13.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 CFPF 159
$1.16 €1.04
28.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 CFPF 293
$1.91 €1.72
43.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 CFPF 171
$1.51 €1.36
6.62%
Eggs
$6.36 CFPF 678
$4.02 €3.61
58.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$27.25 CFPF 2,907
$12.94 €11.62
110.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.12 CFPF 1,613
$7.77 €6.98
94.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.88 CFPF 2,868
$17.76 €15.95
51.35%
Apples (1kg)
$4.79 CFPF 512
$2.30 €2.07
108.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.42 CFPF 258
$1.73 €1.56
39.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.39 CFPF 682
$1.86 €1.67
243.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.76 CFPF 828
$2.59 €2.33
199.61%
Potato (1kg)
$2.64 CFPF 282
$1.82 €1.64
45.05%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 CFPF 233
$1.97 €1.77
10.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.65 CFPF 390
$1.47 €1.32
148.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 CFPF 121
$0.72 €0.65
58.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.97 CFPF 1,384
$6.58 €5.91
97.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.00 CFPF 2,240
$5.61 €5.04
274.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.69 CFPF 287
$1.36 €1.22
97.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 CFPF 340
$2.14 €1.92
49.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.91 CFPF 204
$2.33 €2.10
-18.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.14
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.23 CFPF 984
$3.85 €3.46
139.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.07 €0.96
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.46 €14.79
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 CFPF 161
$2.20 €1.98
-31.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.4K CFPF 2.0M
$34.2K €30.7K
-46.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.8K CFPF 3.0M
$38.7K €34.8K
-28.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 CFPF 19.1K
$161 €145
11.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.50 CFPF 2,081
$18.41 €16.54
5.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.8 CFPF 7,549
$32.74 €29.41
116.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$84.0 CFPF 8,963
$44.55 €40.02
88.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.10 €17.16
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.21 CFPF 1,516
$9.60 €8.62
48.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$461 CFPF 49.2K
$668 €600
-30.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,248 CFPF 986.7K
$17.6K €15.8K
-47.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.2 CFPF 7,380
$102 €91.6
-32.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$70.5 CFPF 7,517
$44.46 €39.94
58.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 CFPF 8,288
$98.5 €88.5
-21.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 CFPF 9,529
$124 €111
-27.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 CFPF 141.7K
$1,608 €1,445
-17.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$947 CFPF 101.1K
$1,190 €1,069
-20.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,806 CFPF 192.7K
$2,812 €2,526
-35.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,513 CFPF 161.4K
$2,013 €1,808
-24.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,081 CFPF 755.6K
$7,839 €7,042
-9.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,507 CFPF 801.0K
$4,576 €4,110
64.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Papeete
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,222 CFPF 237.1K
$1,575 €1,415
41.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.5
3.85
16.88%

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

Last update for Papeete: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Papeete
$947
Lisbon
$1.2K 25.6% $243
Groceries & Markets
Papeete
$517
Lisbon
$272 47.4% $245
Eating Out
Papeete
$281
Lisbon
$243 13.6% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Papeete
$270
Lisbon
$212 21.3% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Papeete
$138
Lisbon
$166 20.2% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Papeete
$112
Lisbon
$64 43.3% $49
Getting Around
Papeete
$17 *
Lisbon
$63 275% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Papeete and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Papeete pays 41% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $95 in Papeete vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $517 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇫 Papeete
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
18:25 6:25 PM
04:25 4:25 AM
10 h ahead of Papeete
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,050 Capital
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to XPF – CFP Franc Converter

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 107 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.37 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.42 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Papeete Lisbon 15,530 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Papeete
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Papeete vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Papeete and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,283 in Papeete and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Lisbon is about 3% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Papeete or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 41% higher in Papeete, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Papeete and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,328 in Papeete versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Papeete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Papeete or Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $2,283 per month in Papeete versus $2,210 in Lisbon – Lisbon is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $3,000 go in Papeete compared to Lisbon?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Lisbon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Papeete or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Papeete and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Papeete and Lisbon?
It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Papeete on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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