Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Spanish Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Spanish Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $865 in Spanish Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,440 in Spanish Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,014 in Spanish Town.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 155% more expensive than Spanish Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Spanish Town is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$7.38 JMD 1,157

115.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$62.1 JMD 9,724

4.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.97 JMD 1,405

17.17%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.35 JMD 682

-34.02%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.31 JMD 205

70.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.70 JMD 109

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.57 JMD 402

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.04 JMD 476

27.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.85 JMD 291

-38.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.59 JMD 405

-32.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.45 JMD 70.7

291.11%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.18 JMD 498

1.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$3.17 JMD 496

325.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$2.00 JMD 313

295.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$2.88 JMD 452

451.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.14 JMD 336

7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.90 JMD 298

-10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.54 JMD 242

30.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.92 JMD 300

28.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.10 JMD 329

-12.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.98 JMD 311

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$3.03 JMD 474

-36.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.92 JMD 143

-14.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$8.94 JMD 1,400

-26.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$11.45 JMD 1,794

-50.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.61 JMD 253

-14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.53 JMD 397

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.08 JMD 170

297.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.23 JMD 506

-74.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$6.33 JMD 992

189.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.23 JMD 192

67.48%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$43.0K JMD 6.7M

-20.35%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

15.58%

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

$148 €127

$164 JMD 25.7K

-9.69%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$21.71 JMD 3,402

-5.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$50.5 JMD 7,907

-21.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$13.38 JMD 2,096

-31.39%

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

$614 €528

$225 JMD 35.3K

172.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$2,481 JMD 388.7K

546.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$26.37 JMD 4,131

296.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$25.10 JMD 3,932

67.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$72.4 JMD 11.3K

29.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

59.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$159 JMD 24.9K

923.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$124 JMD 19.4K

912.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$617 JMD 96.6K

391.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$375 JMD 58.8K

438.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,178 JMD 184.5K

36.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.15

-58.36%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $159 in Spanish Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 36% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $62.0 in Spanish Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $194 per month, with Spanish Town 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

Lisbon vs Spanish Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Spanish Town differ by about 155% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $865 including rent). Spanish Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 36% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $159 in Spanish Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $865 in Spanish Town – a 155% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $865 in Spanish Town versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Spanish Town but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Spanish Town 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 Spanish Town 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 Spanish Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.