Cost of Living Comparison Between Tortola and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Tortola and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,451 in Tortola versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,202 in Tortola versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,954 in Tortola versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Tortola is roughly 6% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tortola 78% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.42 $21.42

$17.30 €14.89

23.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 $83.4

$63.3 €54.4

31.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.11 $15.11

$11.39 €9.80

32.66%

Cappuccino

$7.84 $7.84

$3.19 €2.75

145.77%

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

$1.81 $1.81

$2.45 €2.10

-26.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.76 €1.52

-23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.59 €3.09

9.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.39 €2.92

51.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.24 €1.06

143.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.98 €1.71

132.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$1.52 €1.31

346.71%

Eggs

$7.36 $7.36

$4.04 €3.48

82.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.54 €11.65

-2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.00 $13.00

$8.39 €7.22

54.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.67 $19.67

$18.25 €15.70

7.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.29 €1.97

-14.41%

Banana (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.74 €1.50

131.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.86 €1.60

5.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.33 $7.33

$2.63 €2.26

178.71%

Potato (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$1.92 €1.65

204.17%

Onion (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.09 €1.80

142.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$11.82 $11.82

$1.44 €1.24

720.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 $5.06

$6.78 €5.83

-25.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 $10.94

$5.71 €4.91

91.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.38 €1.18

196.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.7K

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

$100 $100

$170 €147

-41.26%

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

$101 $101

$19.34 €16.64

424.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.8 $99.8

$33.64 €28.95

196.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$20.17 $20.17

$9.92 €8.54

103.33%

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 $1,407

$1,677 €1,443

-16.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 $1,251

$1,271 €1,094

-1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,322 $3,322

$2,985 €2,568

11.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,113 $3,113

$1,992 €1,715

56.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$4,658 €4,008

135.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,597 $1,597

$1,583 €1,362

0.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Tortola: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,407 in Tortola and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tortola pays 1% 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: $83.0 in Tortola vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $492 vs $283 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

Tortola vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tortola and Lisbon differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,451 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Tortola, 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: $1,407 in Tortola versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $83.0 in Tortola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,451 per month in Tortola versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,451 in Tortola, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Tortola. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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, Tortola 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Tortola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.