Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,314 in Montego Bay versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,787 in Montego Bay versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,261 in Montego Bay versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Montego Bay costs roughly 42% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montego Bay is 2% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

$15.94 €13.73

-52.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JMD 7,905

$63.4 €54.6

-20.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 JMD 1,161

$10.38 €8.95

-28.90%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

$2.79 €2.40

54.48%

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

$1.33 JMD 209

$2.34 €2.01

-43.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$1.57 €1.35

-51.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 382

$3.43 €2.95

-29.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

$3.91 €3.37

-18.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.53 JMD 397

$1.08 €0.93

134.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 JMD 434

$1.77 €1.52

55.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$1.71 €1.47

-4.68%

Eggs

$3.56 JMD 559

$3.15 €2.71

13.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 JMD 1,721

$13.68 €11.79

-20.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,014

$8.01 €6.90

-19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 JMD 1,189

$15.52 €13.37

-51.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 JMD 537

$2.29 €1.98

49.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$1.64 €1.41

91.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 JMD 427

$1.94 €1.67

39.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 JMD 275

$2.51 €2.17

-30.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 319

$1.79 €1.54

13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 JMD 178

$2.01 €1.73

-43.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 JMD 301

$1.97 €1.69

-3.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 JMD 149

$0.84 €0.73

13.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 JMD 1,420

$6.79 €5.85

32.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 JMD 1,773

$5.67 €4.89

98.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 JMD 332

$1.39 €1.20

51.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 497

$3.02 €2.60

4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 JMD 151

$2.27 €1.95

-57.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

$4.29 €3.70

-78.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 505

$0.85 €0.73

277.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 JMD 1,006

$18.28 €15.75

-64.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$1.99 €1.71

-35.18%

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

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

$35.0K €30.2K

24.43%

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

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

$39.5K €34.1K

-14.72%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$146 €126

11.29%

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

$21.15 JMD 3,327

$20.45 €17.62

3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.83 JMD 7,522

$38.98 €33.58

22.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.84 JMD 5,952

$48.98 €42.21

-22.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 JMD 1,188

$9.52 €8.21

-20.69%

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

$63.0 JMD 9,903

$608 €524

-89.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,913 JMD 300.9K

$16.5K €14.2K

-88.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.80 JMD 4,057

$104 €89.5

-75.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.75 JMD 3,106

$42.12 €36.29

-53.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

$92.2 €79.5

-27.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$120 €103

-37.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 JMD 41.8K

$1,621 €1,397

-83.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 JMD 70.4K

$1,268 €1,092

-64.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 JMD 102.0K

$3,048 €2,626

-78.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 JMD 69.6K

$2,009 €1,731

-77.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 JMD 86.8K

$1,585 €1,366

-65.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

109.97%

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

Last update for Montego Bay: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Montego Bay and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 187% 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: $50.0 in Montego Bay vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Montego Bay vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montego Bay and Lisbon differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,314 vs $2,263 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 187% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $266 in Montego Bay versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,314 per month in Montego Bay versus $2,263 in Lisbon – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,314 in Montego Bay versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Montego Bay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Montego Bay 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, Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.