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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,314 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,787 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $2,261 in Montego Bay.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 72% more expensive than Montego Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Montego Bay is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$7.54 JMD 1,186

111.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$50.3 JMD 7,905

26.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$7.38 JMD 1,161

40.65%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$4.31 JMD 678

-35.27%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.33 JMD 209

75.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.76 JMD 120

106.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.43 JMD 382

41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.18 JMD 500

22.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.53 JMD 397

-57.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.76 JMD 434

-35.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.63 JMD 257

4.91%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$3.56 JMD 559

-11.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$10.94 JMD 1,721

25.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$6.45 JMD 1,014

24.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$7.56 JMD 1,189

105.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.42 JMD 537

-33.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$3.14 JMD 494

-47.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.71 JMD 427

-28.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.75 JMD 275

43.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.03 JMD 319

-11.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.13 JMD 178

77.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.91 JMD 301

3.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.95 JMD 149

-11.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$9.03 JMD 1,420

-24.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$11.28 JMD 1,773

-49.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.11 JMD 332

-34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$3.16 JMD 497

-4.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.96 JMD 151

136.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.91 JMD 143

371.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$3.21 JMD 505

-73.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$6.40 JMD 1,006

185.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.29 JMD 203

54.26%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

-19.64%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

17.27%

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

$146 €126

$163 JMD 25.6K

-10.14%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$21.15 JMD 3,327

-3.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$47.83 JMD 7,522

-18.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$37.84 JMD 5,952

29.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$7.55 JMD 1,188

26.09%

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

$608 €524

$63.0 JMD 9,903

865.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$1,913 JMD 300.9K

763.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$25.80 JMD 4,057

302.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$19.75 JMD 3,106

113.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

38.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

59.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$266 JMD 41.8K

510.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$448 JMD 70.4K

183.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$648 JMD 102.0K

370.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$442 JMD 69.6K

353.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$552 JMD 86.8K

187.31%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $266 in Montego Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 187% 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 $269 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 72% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,314 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 187% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $266 in Montego Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $1,314 in Montego Bay – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,314 in Montego Bay versus $2,263 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 72% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.