Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Isla de Margarita Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Isla de Margarita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $663 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,232 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $1,801 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 236% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Isla de Margarita is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$9.96 VES 4,850

62.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$79.1 VES 38.5K

-18.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.51 VES 1,224

10.36%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.02 VES 495

120.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.52 VES 742

3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$0.98 VES 477

256.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.09 VES 1,504

29.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.96 VES 954

-44.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.95 VES 1,435

-41.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.96 VES 957

-11.22%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.45 VES 1,195

29.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$8.24 VES 4,013

62.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$7.78 VES 3,792

2.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$7.90 VES 3,849

103.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.88 VES 1,891

-41.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.52 VES 742

13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.01 VES 982

-3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.43 VES 1,181

4.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.47 VES 717

24.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.78 VES 866

14.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.99 VES 481

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$4.88 VES 2,378

18.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.98 VES 477

39.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.52 VES 742

90.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.92 VES 1,423

39.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.02 VES 1,470

-72.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

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

$35.3K €30.2K

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

$38.5K €32.9K

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

$145 €124

$29.45 VES 14.3K

393.72%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$14.74 VES 7,178

42.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$40.33 VES 19.6K

-0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$50.9 VES 24.8K

-4.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$14.73 VES 7,174

26.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$4.92 VES 2,398

84.15%

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

$607 €519

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$78.9 VES 38.4K

32.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$101 VES 49.2K

-7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$102 VES 49.6K

16.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$298 VES 144.9K

439.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$498 VES 242.7K

511.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$589 VES 286.8K

1209.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $298 in Isla de Margarita. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $271 in Lisbon vs $232 in Isla de Margarita – so Isla de Margarita wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Isla de Margarita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 236%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $994 in Isla de Margarita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Isla de Margarita, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isla de Margarita, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Isla de Margarita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isla de Margarita – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Isla de Margarita. 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.