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: $865 in Spanish Town versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,440 in Spanish Town versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,014 in Spanish Town versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Spanish Town costs roughly 61% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Spanish Town is 35% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 JMD 1,157

$15.91 €13.69

-53.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 JMD 9,724

$64.8 €55.7

-4.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 JMD 1,405

$10.51 €9.04

-14.65%

Cappuccino

$4.35 JMD 682

$2.87 €2.47

51.57%

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

$1.31 JMD 205

$2.24 €1.93

-41.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 109

$1.50 €1.29

-53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 402

$3.49 €3.00

-26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 476

$3.88 €3.34

-21.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 JMD 291

$1.14 €0.98

62.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 JMD 405

$1.75 €1.51

48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.45 JMD 70.7

$1.76 €1.51

-74.43%

Eggs

$3.18 JMD 498

$3.22 €2.77

-1.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.17 JMD 496

$13.49 €11.61

-76.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 313

$7.91 €6.81

-74.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.88 JMD 452

$15.87 €13.65

-81.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 JMD 336

$2.31 €1.99

-7.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 JMD 298

$1.70 €1.46

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 242

$2.01 €1.73

-23.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 300

$2.46 €2.12

-21.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 329

$1.84 €1.59

14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 311

$2.00 €1.72

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 JMD 474

$1.93 €1.66

56.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 JMD 143

$0.79 €0.68

16.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 JMD 1,400

$6.61 €5.68

35.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 JMD 1,794

$5.72 €4.92

100.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 JMD 253

$1.37 €1.17

17.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 JMD 397

$2.97 €2.56

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 JMD 170

$4.29 €3.69

-74.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 506

$0.82 €0.70

293.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.33 JMD 992

$18.30 €15.74

-65.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 192

$2.06 €1.78

-40.29%

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

$43.0K JMD 6.7M

$34.3K €29.5K

25.55%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

$39.3K €33.8K

-13.48%

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

$164 JMD 25.7K

$148 €127

10.73%

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

$21.71 JMD 3,402

$20.52 €17.65

5.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 JMD 7,907

$39.61 €34.08

27.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,096

$9.18 €7.90

45.75%

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

$225 JMD 35.3K

$614 €528

-63.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,481 JMD 388.7K

$16.0K €13.8K

-84.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.37 JMD 4,131

$105 €90.0

-74.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.10 JMD 3,932

$42.06 €36.18

-40.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 JMD 11.3K

$94.0 €80.8

-22.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

$120 €103

-37.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 JMD 24.9K

$1,628 €1,400

-90.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 JMD 19.4K

$1,255 €1,080

-90.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 JMD 96.6K

$3,030 €2,607

-79.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 JMD 58.8K

$2,020 €1,738

-81.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,178 JMD 184.5K

$1,603 €1,379

-26.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

3.81

140.16%

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

Last update for Spanish Town: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Spanish Town and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 36% 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: $62.0 in Spanish Town vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $269 per month, with Spanish Town 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 155% in total monthly costs ($865 vs $2,210 including rent). Spanish Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 36% 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: $159 in Spanish Town versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $865 per month in Spanish Town versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 155% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $865 in Spanish Town versus $2,210 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 155% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.