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 $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $648 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $1,204 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $1,760 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 255% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Isla de Margarita is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$10.13 VES 8,587

73.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$78.8 VES 66.8K

-20.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.46 VES 2,081

26.02%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.02 VES 867

144.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.51 VES 1,281

15.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.03 VES 871

237.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.96 VES 2,512

16.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.05 VES 1,739

-43.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.92 VES 2,473

-34.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.95 VES 1,648

-23.08%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.42 VES 2,054

64.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$7.91 VES 6,700

68.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$8.03 VES 6,806

-0.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.71

$8.04 VES 6,813

124.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.08 VES 3,454

-42.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.46 VES 1,233

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.94 VES 1,645

-4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.54 VES 2,149

0.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.48 VES 1,251

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.77 VES 1,499

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.02 VES 867

46.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$4.90 VES 4,154

20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.97 VES 823

35.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.49 VES 1,261

42.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.04 VES 2,578

34.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.98 VES 2,525

-61.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

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

$34.1K €29.7K

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

$41.4K €36.0K

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

$169 €147

$30.33 VES 25.7K

455.72%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$15.19 VES 12.9K

27.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.19

$40.72 VES 34.5K

-17.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.54

$50.4 VES 42.7K

-3.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

$14.84 VES 12.6K

30.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$5.15 VES 4,361

85.83%

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

$696 €606

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$78.9 VES 66.9K

33.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.59

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$102 VES 86.2K

-1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$99.1 VES 84.0K

25.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,447

$297 VES 251.8K

459.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,582

$497 VES 421.4K

496.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,784

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,823

$605 VES 512.5K

1195.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,888

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $297 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 $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Lisbon vs $234 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 255%, 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 $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $971 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 18% 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 $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 $648, than in Lisbon at $2,296. 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.