Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Montego Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Montego Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,295 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,753 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $2,210 in Montego Bay.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 76% more expensive than in Montego Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Montego Bay is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$7.54 JMD 1,187

108.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$50.2 JMD 7,888

26.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$7.72 JMD 1,214

35.36%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$4.31 JMD 677

-32.48%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.32 JMD 208

73.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.76 JMD 120

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$2.46 JMD 387

44.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$3.07 JMD 483

28.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.47 JMD 389

-56.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.82 JMD 444

-37.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.60 JMD 252

6.25%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$3.46 JMD 544

-6.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$11.12 JMD 1,750

19.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$6.46 JMD 1,016

19.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$7.69 JMD 1,210

105.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.35 JMD 528

-31.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$3.14 JMD 494

-47.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.74 JMD 430

-26.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$1.79 JMD 281

37.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$2.04 JMD 321

-12.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.13 JMD 177

83.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.84 JMD 289

7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.93 JMD 147

-10.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$8.80 JMD 1,384

-25.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$11.16 JMD 1,756

-50.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$2.12 JMD 333

-37.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$3.15 JMD 495

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$0.92 JMD 145

146.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$0.96 JMD 152

340.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$3.25 JMD 512

-73.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$6.13 JMD 964

207.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.23 JMD 194

64.23%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-17.49%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

20.17%

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

$148 €129

$164 JMD 25.8K

-9.64%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$21.61 JMD 3,399

-5.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$48.06 JMD 7,559

-17.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$37.26 JMD 5,861

29.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$7.57 JMD 1,190

20.21%

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

$615 €536

$62.7 JMD 9,857

880.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$1,854 JMD 291.7K

778.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$26.57 JMD 4,180

282.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$19.57 JMD 3,079

115.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$66.5 JMD 10.5K

38.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

60.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$265 JMD 41.6K

509.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$448 JMD 70.5K

179.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$662 JMD 104.2K

363.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$447 JMD 70.2K

356.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$552 JMD 86.9K

189.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-52.37%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $265 in Montego Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 190% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $50.0 in Montego Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $284, 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

Lisbon vs Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Montego Bay differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $1,295 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 190% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $265 in Montego Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $1,295 in Montego Bay – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,295 in Montego Bay versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Montego Bay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.