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: $1,139 in Rarotonga versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Rarotonga versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,096 in Rarotonga versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Rarotonga costs roughly 50% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rarotonga is 17% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.77 NZ$25.39

$17.55 €15.12

-15.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 NZ$90.7

$64.5 €55.6

-18.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 NZ$9.91

$11.65 €10.04

-50.56%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.91

$3.26 €2.81

5.52%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.95

$2.49 €2.15

-7.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NZ$3.93

$1.67 €1.44

36.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 NZ$9.07

$3.47 €2.99

52.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 NZ$9.13

$3.58 €3.08

48.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 NZ$4.90

$1.18 €1.02

141.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 NZ$5.20

$1.95 €1.68

55.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

Eggs

$6.25 NZ$10.74

$4.01 €3.46

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 NZ$13.31

$13.27 €11.44

-41.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 NZ$20.49

$7.01 €6.04

70.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 NZ$20.17

$5.92 €5.11

98.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NZ$5.95

$1.36 €1.18

154.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 NZ$9.29

$2.15 €1.85

151.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 NZ$5.02

$2.38 €2.05

22.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.77 NZ$35.72

$4.19 €3.61

395.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.89 NZ$61.7

$17.26 €14.88

107.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.09

$2.25 €1.94

-20.00%

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

$11.7K NZ$20.2K

$34.5K €29.7K

-65.95%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$103 NZ$176

$171 €147

-39.96%

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

$49.34 NZ$84.8

$19.01 €16.38

159.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$108 NZ$186

$34.28 €29.55

215.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,417 NZ$2,437

$17.8K €15.3K

-92.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 NZ$815

$1,661 €1,432

-71.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 NZ$796

$1,228 €1,059

-62.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 NZ$1,221

$2,915 €2,513

-75.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 NZ$1,129

$2,023 €1,744

-67.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,121 NZ$7,085

$1,619 €1,396

154.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Rarotonga: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Rarotonga and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Rarotonga vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $281 per month, with Rarotonga 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

Rarotonga vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rarotonga and Lisbon differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($1,139 vs $2,268 including rent). Rarotonga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 155% higher in Rarotonga, 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: $474 in Rarotonga versus $1,661 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 $53.0 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,139 per month in Rarotonga versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,139 in Rarotonga versus $2,268 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 99% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.