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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $856 in Spanish Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,419 in Spanish Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,982 in Spanish Town.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 168% more expensive than in Spanish Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Spanish Town is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$7.64 JMD 1,205

111.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$62.3 JMD 9,815

1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$8.95 JMD 1,410

15.31%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.33 JMD 682

-34.64%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.31 JMD 207

74.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.70 JMD 111

125.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.57 JMD 405

32.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$3.10 JMD 489

30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.90 JMD 299

-42.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.62 JMD 412

-33.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.43 JMD 67.0

309.30%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.17 JMD 499

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$3.05 JMD 480

332.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$1.98 JMD 312

302.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$2.77 JMD 436

460.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.24 JMD 353

5.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.93 JMD 304

-11.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.60 JMD 253

25.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.86 JMD 294

30.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.08 JMD 327

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.02 JMD 318

0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$3.10 JMD 489

-38.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.90 JMD 142

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$8.70 JMD 1,371

-24.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$11.34 JMD 1,788

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.58 JMD 249

-15.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.44 JMD 384

21.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.11 JMD 175

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$3.15 JMD 497

-74.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$6.19 JMD 975

197.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.28 JMD 202

62.50%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-18.26%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

16.44%

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

$148 €130

$163 JMD 25.7K

-9.27%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$21.74 JMD 3,426

-5.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$51.8 JMD 8,155

-23.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$13.10 JMD 2,065

-29.62%

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

$616 €539

$224 JMD 35.3K

175.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,455 JMD 386.9K

569.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$25.93 JMD 4,086

296.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$25.38 JMD 4,000

64.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

34.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$77.7 JMD 12.2K

57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$154 JMD 24.2K

963.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$126 JMD 19.9K

874.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$614 JMD 96.8K

404.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$377 JMD 59.3K

439.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$1,168 JMD 184.1K

37.57%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $154 in Spanish Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 38% 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 $62.0 in Spanish Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 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 168% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $856 including rent). Spanish Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $154 in Spanish Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $856 in Spanish Town – a 168% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $856 in Spanish Town versus $2,291 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 168% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.