Cost of Living Comparison Between Martin and Ventspils Cost of Living Comparison Between Martin and Ventspils

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,468 in Martin versus $1,264 in Ventspils.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,088 in Martin versus $1,891 in Ventspils.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,707 in Martin versus $2,517 in Ventspils.

Living in Martin is roughly 16% more expensive than Ventspils, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Martin is 9% above, Ventspils is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 €8.25

$11.66 €10.11

-18.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.93 €40.67

$56.9 €49.35

-17.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 €7.98

$7.16 €6.20

28.49%

Cappuccino

$2.86 €2.48

$2.89 €2.51

-1.04%

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

$1.79 €1.55

$1.86 €1.62

-3.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.37 €1.18

-2.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 €1.84

$3.45 €2.99

-38.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.88 €2.50

-18.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.21 €1.05

-10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.20 €1.04

15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 €1.81

$2.92 €2.53

-28.77%

Eggs

$3.57 €3.09

$2.85 €2.47

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.88 €13.76

$9.75 €8.45

62.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.91

$7.85 €6.81

1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 €11.44

$11.46 €9.94

15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 €1.07

$0.90 €0.78

36.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.68 €1.45

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 €2.03

$2.16 €1.87

8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 €1.90

$3.56 €3.08

-38.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$0.85 €0.73

61.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.56 €0.48

214.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 €1.43

$1.26 €1.09

30.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.70

$0.83 €0.72

-2.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 €5.13

$4.80 €4.16

23.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 €4.15

$8.05 €6.98

-40.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.93

$1.25 €1.08

-14.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.03

$1.65 €1.43

42.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 €1.28

$0.88 €0.77

67.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.91 €25.06

$38.60 €33.46

-25.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 €1.24

$2.31 €2.00

-38.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 €1.11

$0.68 €0.59

88.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.02 €19.95

$10.45 €9.05

120.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.87 €1.62

-5.88%

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

$23.4K €20.2K

$25.6K €22.2K

-8.70%

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

$24.9K €21.6K

$24.1K €20.9K

3.06%

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

$305 €265

$323 €280

-5.53%

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

$27.57 €23.89

$17.56 €15.22

57.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.63 €10.94

$20.25 €17.55

-37.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.18 €33.09

$35.85 €31.07

6.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 €14.87

$20.42 €17.70

-16.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.54 €8.27

$7.05 €6.11

35.32%

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

$348 €301

$343 €298

1.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,356 €6,375

$13.6K €11.8K

-46.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 €59.7

$54.4 €47.16

26.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.11 €12.23

$42.83 €37.12

-67.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 €65.1

$81.0 €70.2

-7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €94.0

$119 €103

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 €456

$273 €237

92.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 €418

$246 €213

96.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 €678

$428 €371

82.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 €600

$458 €397

50.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,354 €2,041

$982 €851

139.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,761 €1,526

$723 €627

143.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,540 €1,335

$1,036 €898

48.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

3.39

29.50%

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

Last update for Martin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ventspils: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $527 in Martin and $273 in Ventspils. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Martin vs $57.0 in Ventspils. Groceries flip the comparison at $255 vs $235, with Ventspils cheaper for home cooking.

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

Martin vs Ventspils: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ventspils is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Martin pays 49% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $527 in Martin versus $273 in Ventspils. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,468 per month in Martin versus $1,264 in Ventspils – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ventspils runs roughly 34% less than in Martin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Ventspils versus $1,468 in Martin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ventspils but tight or insufficient in Martin. The gap between the two cities makes Ventspils the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Martin and Ventspils are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ventspils gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.