Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Isla Mujeres

For one person, living is cheaper in Isla Mujeres: $1,103 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Isla Mujeres
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,103
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Isla Mujeres

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 Isla Mujeres actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $1,103 in Isla Mujeres.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Isla Mujeres $1,103

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $1,760 in Isla Mujeres.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Isla Mujeres $1,760

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $2,416 in Isla Mujeres.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Isla Mujeres $2,416

Living in Lisbon is roughly 100% more expensive than in Isla Mujeres, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Isla Mujeres is 19% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$10.59 MX$196
60.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$39.10 MX$722
59.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$7.70 MX$142
43.12%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$3.26 MX$60.2
-4.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.24 MX$22.93
83.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.98 MX$18.04
77.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$2.17 MX$40.08
57.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$4.00 MX$73.9
-6.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.44 MX$26.58
-18.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.52 MX$46.64
-26.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.56 MX$28.75
-1.28%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$2.33 MX$43.08
74.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$7.97 MX$147
61.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$8.02 MX$148
-1.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$10.38 MX$192
69.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.60 MX$48.09
-13.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.41 MX$26.02
24.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.71 MX$31.68
10.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$1.70 MX$31.45
50.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.90 MX$35.19
-2.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.93 MX$35.63
2.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.26 MX$23.35
15.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$0.98 MX$18.14
-21.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$4.21 MX$77.7
59.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$11.00 MX$203
-48.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.60 MX$29.54
-14.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$2.77 MX$51.1
-23.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$0.62 MX$11.45
274.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$2.54 MX$46.85
55.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.59 MX$29.42
-33.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$8.47 MX$157
102.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.26 MX$23.31
73.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$21.4K MX$396.2K
57.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$22.1K MX$408.2K
73.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$56.3 MX$1,041
190.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$22.23 MX$411
-16.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$27.99 MX$517
17.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$36.29 MX$671
26.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$16.00 MX$296
16.75%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$4.64 MX$85.8
110.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$210 MX$3,888
225.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$3,607 MX$66.6K
388.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$52.0 MX$961
99.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$40.19 MX$743
14.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$90.8 MX$1,678
9.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$80.7 MX$1,492
54.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$505 MX$9,338
214.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$395 MX$7,304
195.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$919 MX$17.0K
210.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$770 MX$14.2K
158.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$1,779 MX$32.9K
338.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$1,176 MX$21.7K
275.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Isla Mujeres
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
11.48
-66.46%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Isla Mujeres
$395 66.2% $774
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Isla Mujeres
$249 8.8% $24
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Isla Mujeres
$175 29.4% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Isla Mujeres
$107 50.5% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Isla Mujeres
$119 29.5% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Isla Mujeres
$46 30.3% $20
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Isla Mujeres
$13 * 79.4% $50

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $505 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Isla Mujeres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $249 per month, with Isla Mujeres cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇽 Isla Mujeres
🕒 Local time
06:20 6:20 AM
00:20 12:20 AM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
13,174
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Isla Mujeres 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Isla Mujeres

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 Isla Mujeres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Isla Mujeres?
Lisbon and Isla Mujeres differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $1,103 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Isla Mujeres?
You'd need roughly $3,302 in Lisbon and $1,654 in Isla Mujeres to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Isla Mujeres?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $505 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Isla Mujeres?
All in, you'll spend $2,202 per month in Lisbon versus $1,103 in Isla Mujeres – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,103 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Isla Mujeres but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Isla Mujeres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Isla Mujeres?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Isla Mujeres safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Isla Mujeres are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Isla Mujeres?
Expats usually find Isla Mujeres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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