Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in May Pen versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $818 in May Pen versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $924 in May Pen versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 69% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 48% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

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

$2.45 €2.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 JMD 346

$1.24 €1.06

77.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 JMD 610

$1.98 €1.71

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 JMD 511

$1.52 €1.31

113.82%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 545

$4.04 €3.47

-14.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 JMD 1,228

$8.39 €7.21

-7.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 JMD 817

$18.25 €15.69

-71.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 243

$2.29 €1.97

-32.75%

Banana (1kg)

$5.10 JMD 804

$1.74 €1.50

193.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.30 JMD 993

$1.86 €1.60

238.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 292

$2.63 €2.26

-29.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 JMD 294

$1.92 €1.65

-2.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$2.09 €1.80

-7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 JMD 509

$1.44 €1.24

124.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$0.84 €0.72

230.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 JMD 358

$1.38 €1.18

64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 JMD 217

$2.32 €2.00

-40.52%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.6K

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

$170 €146

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

$43.22 JMD 6,811

$19.34 €16.62

123.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 JMD 8,625

$33.64 €28.92

62.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.94 JMD 2,512

$105 €90.1

-84.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.70 JMD 3,420

$46.95 €40.36

-53.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.25 JMD 6,500

$103 €88.9

-60.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.2 JMD 8,537

$124 €107

-56.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 JMD 44.8K

$1,271 €1,093

-77.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for May Pen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

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

May Pen vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen and Lisbon differ by about 225% in total monthly costs ($713 vs $2,316 including rent). May Pen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,070 in May Pen and $3,474 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $713 per month in May Pen versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 225% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $713 in May Pen versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes May Pen 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, May Pen and Lisbon 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 May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.