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: $646 in May Pen versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in May Pen versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,366 in May Pen versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 72% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 52% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

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

$2.29 €2.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 JMD 337

$1.09 €0.95

96.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 JMD 605

$1.75 €1.53

119.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 JMD 486

$1.76 €1.54

75.00%

Eggs

$3.32 JMD 523

$3.17 €2.77

4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 JMD 1,170

$7.97 €6.97

-6.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.10 JMD 804

$15.53 €13.59

-67.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 254

$2.37 €2.07

-32.07%

Banana (1kg)

$4.98 JMD 784

$1.71 €1.49

191.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.43 JMD 1,013

$2.01 €1.76

219.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$2.43 €2.13

-20.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 305

$1.76 €1.54

9.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 288

$2.03 €1.78

-9.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 JMD 485

$1.92 €1.68

60.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 447

$0.85 €0.74

234.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 JMD 355

$1.33 €1.17

69.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 JMD 139

$2.28 €1.99

-61.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 220

$2.08 €1.82

-33.17%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

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

$42.49 JMD 6,696

$20.46 €17.90

107.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.56 JMD 6,077

$39.56 €34.61

-2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$313 JMD 49.4K

$616 €539

-49.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.48 JMD 2,440

$103 €89.9

-84.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.50 JMD 3,388

$41.74 €36.52

-48.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.10 JMD 6,319

$94.8 €82.9

-57.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 JMD 8,437

$122 €107

-56.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 JMD 28.1K

$1,633 €1,428

-89.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.8K

$1,232 €1,078

-82.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 JMD 88.5K

$3,098 €2,711

-81.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 JMD 68.0K

$2,031 €1,777

-78.75%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for May Pen: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in May Pen and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 254% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $2,291 including rent). May Pen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $970 in May Pen and $3,437 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $178 in May Pen versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $313 in May Pen versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $646 per month in May Pen versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $646 in May Pen versus $2,291 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 254% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.