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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Rarotonga costs roughly 40% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 NZ$20.50

$15.73 €13.42

-22.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 NZ$100

$63.2 €53.9

-5.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 NZ$13.04

$10.32 €8.80

-25.19%

Cappuccino

$4.42 NZ$7.48

$2.81 €2.40

57.30%

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

$3.42 NZ$5.77

$2.33 €1.99

46.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NZ$4.88

$1.51 €1.29

91.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 NZ$11.28

$3.37 €2.87

97.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 NZ$9.34

$3.91 €3.34

41.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NZ$3.72

$1.08 €0.92

103.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 NZ$4.84

$1.75 €1.49

64.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 NZ$2.51

$1.75 €1.50

-14.86%

Eggs

$6.48 NZ$10.95

$3.10 €2.64

109.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.02

$13.28 €11.33

-33.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 NZ$11.92

$7.85 €6.70

-10.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 NZ$12.09

$16.05 €13.69

-55.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.15

$2.39 €2.04

27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.12

$1.72 €1.47

76.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 NZ$6.21

$1.97 €1.68

86.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$4.97

$2.55 €2.17

15.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.01

$1.79 €1.53

-0.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 NZ$2.33

$1.97 €1.68

-29.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 NZ$2.97

$1.96 €1.67

-10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.23

$0.84 €0.71

339.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.84 NZ$25.07

$6.82 €5.82

117.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 NZ$20.19

$5.85 €4.99

104.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.01

$1.38 €1.18

157.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 NZ$9.22

$2.92 €2.49

86.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 NZ$5.00

$2.29 €1.95

29.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.86 NZ$35.26

$4.12 €3.51

406.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.20 NZ$61.2

$18.94 €16.16

91.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.15

$2.09 €1.78

-11.00%

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

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

$35.1K €30.0K

-65.02%

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)

$92.0 NZ$155

$150 €128

-38.51%

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

$30.46 NZ$51.5

$20.49 €17.48

48.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 NZ$178

$39.15 €33.40

168.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.30 NZ$42.76

$49.65 €42.35

-49.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 NZ$40.28

$18.47 €15.76

29.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 NZ$12.05

$9.20 €7.84

-22.50%

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

$624 €533

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,433 NZ$2,422

$15.9K €13.6K

-90.99%

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)

$491 NZ$829

$1,653 €1,410

-70.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 NZ$801

$1,233 €1,051

-61.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 NZ$1,214

$3,043 €2,596

-76.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NZ$1,220

$2,059 €1,756

-64.94%

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)

$4,055 NZ$6,853

$1,566 €1,336

158.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

109.97%

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

Last update for Rarotonga: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Rarotonga and $1,653 in Lisbon. 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: $59 in Rarotonga vs $63 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $270, 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

Rarotonga vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Rarotonga pays 159% 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: $491 in Rarotonga versus $1,653 in Lisbon. 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 $1,355 per month in Rarotonga versus $2,243 in Lisbon – 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, Rarotonga and Lisbon 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.