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 $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $650 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $1,218 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $1,786 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 251% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Isla de Margarita is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$9.87 VES 7,370

59.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$80.4 VES 60.0K

-21.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.47 VES 1,844

17.81%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.98 VES 730

133.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.49 VES 1,111

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.03 VES 766

245.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$3.05 VES 2,277

29.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.02 VES 1,510

-46.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$3.05 VES 2,280

-42.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.05 VES 1,533

-17.07%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.34 VES 1,744

38.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$8.04 VES 6,002

64.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$8.13 VES 6,075

-5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$8.06 VES 6,023

95.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.11 VES 3,071

-44.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.54 VES 1,153

7.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.04 VES 1,522

-0.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.55 VES 1,901

-3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.48 VES 1,103

20.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.77 VES 1,321

16.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.03 VES 768

91.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$5.11 VES 3,817

9.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$0.99 VES 737

34.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.53 VES 1,145

96.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$3.08 VES 2,300

37.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.96 VES 2,213

-71.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

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

$35.0K €30.3K

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

$39.6K €34.3K

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

$148 €128

$30.45 VES 22.7K

385.81%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$15.23 VES 11.4K

34.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$40.42 VES 30.2K

-2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$50.5 VES 37.7K

-4.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$15.24 VES 11.4K

20.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$4.85 VES 3,624

87.63%

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

$615 €532

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$80.0 VES 59.7K

27.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$98.2 VES 73.3K

-5.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$101 VES 75.2K

21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$298 VES 222.5K

441.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$499 VES 372.9K

514.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$592 VES 442.0K

1209.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $80.0 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Lisbon vs $238 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 251%, 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 $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $976 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 12% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon and $80.0 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 $650, than in Lisbon at $2,280. 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.