Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Caracas

For one person, living is cheaper in Caracas: $1,338 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Caracas
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$1,338
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Caracas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Caracas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Lisbon vs $1,338 in Caracas, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Caracas $1,338

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Lisbon vs $2,235 in Caracas, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Caracas $2,235

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $3,133 in Caracas, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Caracas $3,133

Lisbon costs about 65% more than Caracas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Caracas is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$10.98 VES 9,642
55.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$67.1 VES 58.9K
-7.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$11.16 VES 9,796
-1.25%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$3.55 VES 3,114
-12.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.52 VES 1,332
49.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.30 VES 1,144
33.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$2.06 VES 1,805
66.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$3.05 VES 2,680
22.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.64 VES 2,313
-55.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.31 VES 2,032
-19.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.85 VES 1,624
-16.76%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$4.64 VES 4,076
-12.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$10.35 VES 9,083
24.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$9.20 VES 8,074
-14.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$11.64 VES 10.2K
51.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$7.43 VES 6,525
-69.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.04 VES 1,794
-14.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.20 VES 1,931
-14.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$2.38 VES 2,087
7.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.24 VES 1,965
-17.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.23 VES 1,958
-11.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.62 VES 1,424
-10.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$2.41 VES 2,119
-68.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$4.71 VES 4,132
42.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$11.84 VES 10.4K
-52.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.42 VES 1,246
-3.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$2.09 VES 1,839
0.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$0.51 VES 448
354.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$30.43 VES 26.7K
46.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$5.08 VES 4,459
-22.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$2.83 VES 2,483
-62.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$14.80 VES 13.0K
15.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$0.88 VES 772
148.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$24.7K VES 21.7M
36.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$39.7K VES 34.8M
-3.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$21.94 VES 19.3K
646.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$11.99 VES 10.5K
54.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$37.39 VES 32.8K
-11.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$65.9 VES 57.8K
-30.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$17.83 VES 15.7K
4.77%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$6.53 VES 5,735
49.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$158 VES 138.4K
333.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$6,066 VES 5.3M
190.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$81.6 VES 71.6K
27.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$51.2 VES 45.0K
-9.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$136 VES 119.2K
-26.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$131 VES 115.2K
-5.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$604 VES 529.9K
163.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$425 VES 373.1K
175.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$1,103 VES 968.0K
158.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$861 VES 755.7K
131.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$1,464 VES 1.3M
432.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$683 VES 599.8K
546.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Caracas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$303 VES 266.1K
427.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
22
-82.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Caracas: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Caracas
$425 63.6% $744
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Caracas
$339 24.2% $66
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Caracas
$192 22.6% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Caracas
$71 66.9% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Caracas
$180 6.8% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Caracas
$79 20.8% $14
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Caracas
$52 17.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Lisbon versus $604 in Caracas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 428% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon versus $67.0 in Caracas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $339 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇻🇪 Caracas
🕒 Local time
10:32 10:32 AM
05:32 5:32 AM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
3,274,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

VES, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 878 VES (1,000 VES = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 987 VES (1,000 VES = 1.01 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Caracas 6,500 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Caracas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Lisbon vs Caracas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caracas cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,302 per month in Lisbon and $2,006 in Caracas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Caracas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 46% less in Caracas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $684 per month in Lisbon and $158 in Caracas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Caracas?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Caracas, where all-in costs run around $1,338, than in Lisbon at $2,202. In Caracas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lisbon or Caracas more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Caracas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Caracas?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Caracas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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