Cost of Living Comparison Between Spanish Town and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Spanish Town and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,040 in Spanish Town versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,972 in Spanish Town versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Spanish Town versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Spanish Town costs roughly 55% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Spanish Town is 24% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 JMD 2,520

$17.30 €14.93

-7.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 JMD 11.7K

$63.3 €54.6

17.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 JMD 1,382

$11.39 €9.83

-23.00%

Cappuccino

$5.49 JMD 865

$3.19 €2.75

72.10%

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

$1.19 JMD 187

$2.45 €2.11

-51.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 JMD 107

$1.76 €1.52

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 JMD 344

$3.59 €3.10

-39.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 508

$3.39 €2.93

-5.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.22 JMD 665

$1.24 €1.07

240.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 JMD 582

$1.98 €1.71

86.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 252

$1.52 €1.31

5.26%

Eggs

$3.49 JMD 550

$4.04 €3.49

-13.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 JMD 1,794

$13.54 €11.68

-15.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 JMD 1,008

$8.39 €7.24

-23.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 JMD 1,622

$18.25 €15.75

-43.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 940

$2.29 €1.98

160.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.88 JMD 611

$1.74 €1.50

122.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.43 JMD 1,171

$1.86 €1.60

299.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 479

$2.63 €2.27

15.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 JMD 518

$1.92 €1.65

71.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 JMD 323

$2.09 €1.81

-1.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 494

$1.44 €1.24

117.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 235

$0.84 €0.73

77.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.68 JMD 1,525

$6.78 €5.85

42.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 JMD 1,801

$5.71 €4.93

100.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 457

$1.38 €1.19

110.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 JMD 646

$2.22 €1.91

84.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 JMD 184

$4.17 €3.60

-71.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 JMD 492

$1.14 €0.98

173.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 JMD 976

$17.68 €15.26

-64.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JMD 215

$2.32 €2.01

-40.95%

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

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

$35.3K €30.5K

23.68%

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

$32.7K JMD 5.2M

$41.4K €35.8K

-21.09%

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

$174 JMD 27.4K

$170 €147

2.03%

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

$29.43 JMD 4,638

$19.34 €16.69

52.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 JMD 8,219

$33.64 €29.03

55.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 JMD 2,097

$9.92 €8.56

34.17%

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

$367 JMD 57.9K

$717 €619

-48.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,250 JMD 1.3M

$17.5K €15.1K

-52.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.73 JMD 3,740

$105 €90.4

-77.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.76 JMD 5,005

$46.95 €40.51

-32.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 JMD 12.1K

$103 €89.2

-25.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.1K

$124 €107

-17.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 JMD 98.5K

$2,985 €2,575

-79.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 JMD 79.9K

$1,992 €1,719

-74.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,169 JMD 184.2K

$1,583 €1,366

-26.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

3.79

149.34%

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

Last update for Spanish Town: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 35% 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: $74.0 in Spanish Town vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $283 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

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

Spanish Town and Lisbon differ by about 123% in total monthly costs ($1,040 vs $2,316 including rent). Spanish Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% 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.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,040 per month in Spanish Town versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,040 in Spanish Town versus $2,316 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, Spanish Town 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 Spanish Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.