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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,023 in Spanish Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,959 in Spanish Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,895 in Spanish Town.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 124% more expensive than in Spanish Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Spanish Town is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$15.88 JMD 2,488

10.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$75.4 JMD 11.8K

-16.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$8.79 JMD 1,378

31.74%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.31 JMD 832

-41.62%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.16 JMD 181

114.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.68 JMD 106

155.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.25 JMD 353

54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.10 JMD 485

10.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$4.11 JMD 644

-72.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.82 JMD 599

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.56 JMD 245

-3.85%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.50 JMD 548

13.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$11.69 JMD 1,833

13.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.49 JMD 1,017

23.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$10.28 JMD 1,611

75.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$6.21 JMD 973

-62.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$4.02 JMD 629

-56.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$7.54 JMD 1,182

-75.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.13 JMD 490

-18.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.25 JMD 510

-43.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.13 JMD 334

-1.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$3.03 JMD 476

-50.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.51 JMD 236

-45.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$9.43 JMD 1,478

-24.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$11.44 JMD 1,793

-48.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.95 JMD 463

-55.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.97 JMD 621

-46.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.18 JMD 185

245.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.21 JMD 503

-64.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$6.33 JMD 992

169.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.40 JMD 219

65.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$44.3K JMD 6.9M

-22.91%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

24.23%

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

$169 €147

$175 JMD 27.5K

-3.94%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$30.04 JMD 4,708

-35.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$52.5 JMD 8,222

-36.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$13.40 JMD 2,100

-28.58%

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

$696 €606

$364 JMD 57.1K

91.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$8,190 JMD 1.3M

111.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$23.65 JMD 3,706

345.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$31.61 JMD 4,954

51.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$77.8 JMD 12.2K

29.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$103 JMD 16.1K

20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$642 JMD 100.6K

361.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$499 JMD 78.2K

310.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$1,154 JMD 180.8K

41.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

9.45

-60.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 41% 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 $75.0 in Spanish Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $389 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

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

Lisbon and Spanish Town differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,023 including rent). Spanish Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 40% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,023 in Spanish Town – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,023 in Spanish Town versus $2,296 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 124% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.