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: $1,295 in Montego Bay versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,753 in Montego Bay versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,210 in Montego Bay versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Montego Bay costs roughly 43% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montego Bay is 3% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,187

$15.75 €13.74

-52.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 JMD 7,888

$63.5 €55.3

-21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 JMD 1,214

$10.45 €9.11

-26.12%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 677

$2.91 €2.54

48.11%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$2.29 €2.00

-42.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$1.50 €1.31

-49.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 387

$3.56 €3.11

-30.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 483

$3.96 €3.46

-22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 JMD 389

$1.08 €0.94

128.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 JMD 444

$1.76 €1.54

60.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 252

$1.70 €1.48

-5.88%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 544

$3.25 €2.83

6.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 JMD 1,750

$13.25 €11.55

-16.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,016

$7.70 €6.72

-16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 JMD 1,210

$15.77 €13.75

-51.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 JMD 528

$2.28 €1.99

46.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$1.66 €1.44

89.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 JMD 430

$2.02 €1.76

35.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 JMD 281

$2.47 €2.16

-27.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$1.79 €1.56

13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 JMD 177

$2.07 €1.80

-45.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 JMD 289

$1.97 €1.72

-6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 JMD 147

$0.83 €0.73

12.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.80 JMD 1,384

$6.55 €5.71

34.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,756

$5.57 €4.85

100.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 JMD 333

$1.33 €1.16

59.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 495

$3.01 €2.62

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 JMD 145

$2.27 €1.98

-59.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 JMD 152

$4.23 €3.69

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$0.85 €0.74

282.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 JMD 964

$18.83 €16.41

-67.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$2.02 €1.76

-39.11%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

$35.0K €30.5K

21.20%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$39.6K €34.6K

-16.79%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$148 €129

10.67%

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

$21.61 JMD 3,399

$20.52 €17.89

5.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.06 JMD 7,559

$39.52 €34.46

21.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 JMD 5,861

$48.17 €42.00

-22.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 JMD 1,190

$9.10 €7.93

-16.81%

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

$62.7 JMD 9,857

$615 €536

-89.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,854 JMD 291.7K

$16.3K €14.2K

-88.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.57 JMD 4,180

$102 €88.6

-73.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.57 JMD 3,079

$42.09 €36.69

-53.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 JMD 10.5K

$92.3 €80.5

-27.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

$122 €106

-37.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 JMD 41.6K

$1,612 €1,405

-83.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 JMD 70.5K

$1,254 €1,093

-64.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 JMD 104.2K

$3,069 €2,676

-78.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 JMD 70.2K

$2,037 €1,776

-78.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 JMD 86.9K

$1,602 €1,396

-65.51%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in Montego Bay and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 190% 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 $267, 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 76% in total monthly costs ($1,295 vs $2,280 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 190% lower in Lisbon. 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: $265 in Montego Bay versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,295 per month in Montego Bay versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,295 in Montego Bay versus $2,280 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 76% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.