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 $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $648 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $1,210 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $1,771 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 242% 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

$15.78 €13.59

$10.10 VES 6,013

56.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$81.5 VES 48.5K

-23.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$2.48 VES 1,474

11.69%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$0.97 VES 580

135.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.53 VES 911

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$1.02 VES 609

248.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$3.06 VES 1,824

30.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.97 VES 1,171

-45.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.97 VES 1,767

-40.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.96 VES 1,167

-9.69%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$2.35 VES 1,398

32.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$8.17 VES 4,865

63.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$8.09 VES 4,813

-1.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$8.03 VES 4,778

98.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.89 VES 2,316

-41.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.46 VES 870

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.98 VES 1,179

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.57 VES 1,528

-4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.48 VES 883

19.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.78 VES 1,060

10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.02 VES 607

93.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$4.94 VES 2,938

16.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.02 VES 608

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$1.48 VES 882

102.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$2.92 VES 1,736

45.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$3.02 VES 1,801

-72.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

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

$35.2K €30.3K

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

$38.6K €33.2K

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

$151 €130

$30.35 VES 18.1K

397.96%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$15.09 VES 8,982

38.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$39.38 VES 23.4K

0.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$50.4 VES 30.0K

-3.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$15.23 VES 9,064

22.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$5.08 VES 3,023

77.95%

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

$610 €525

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$78.9 VES 47.0K

28.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$99.3 VES 59.1K

-6.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$101 VES 60.0K

17.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$304 VES 181.0K

427.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$494 VES 294.1K

510.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$604 VES 359.4K

1222.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $304 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $82.0 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Lisbon vs $235 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 242%, 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 $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $972 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 14% 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 $62.0 in Lisbon and $82.0 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 $2,217. 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.