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: $1,475 in Martin versus $1,260 in Ventspils.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,091 in Martin versus $1,909 in Ventspils.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,706 in Martin versus $2,557 in Ventspils.

Living in Martin is roughly 17% more expensive than Ventspils, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Martin is 10% above, Ventspils is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 €8.02

$11.47 €9.78

-18.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.99 €40.08

$58.9 €50.3

-20.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 €7.85

$7.17 €6.11

28.31%

Cappuccino

$2.93 €2.50

$2.75 €2.34

6.55%

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

$1.77 €1.51

$1.87 €1.59

-5.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.30 €1.11

3.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 €1.78

$3.48 €2.97

-40.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.95

$2.98 €2.54

-23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.93

$1.15 €0.98

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 €1.19

$1.22 €1.04

14.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.93 €2.50

-30.03%

Eggs

$3.57 €3.04

$2.96 €2.52

20.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 €13.59

$9.60 €8.19

66.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 €6.86

$7.65 €6.53

5.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 €11.30

$11.78 €10.05

12.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 €1.05

$0.89 €0.76

38.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.47

$1.65 €1.41

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$2.08 €1.78

14.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$3.58 €3.05

-39.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.20

$0.79 €0.68

78.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.59 €0.51

196.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.25 €1.07

32.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.82 €0.70

-1.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.01 €5.12

$4.73 €4.04

27.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 €4.13

$7.72 €6.59

-37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.90

$1.24 €1.05

-14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.97

$1.65 €1.41

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 €1.23

$0.85 €0.73

69.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.48 €25.15

$38.76 €33.06

-23.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 €1.15

$2.40 €2.05

-43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 €1.05

$0.73 €0.63

69.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.44 €19.99

$10.39 €8.86

125.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.85 €1.58

-5.41%

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

$23.5K €20.1K

$25.2K €21.5K

-6.64%

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

$25.4K €21.6K

$24.8K €21.2K

2.08%

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

$305 €260

$319 €272

-4.41%

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

$28.09 €23.96

$17.25 €14.71

62.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.56 €10.71

$20.58 €17.55

-38.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.34 €32.70

$35.81 €30.54

7.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.57 €14.99

$20.28 €17.30

-13.36%

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 €8.20

$6.79 €5.80

41.53%

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

$346 €295

$354 €302

-2.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,324 €6,248

$14.0K €11.9K

-47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 €60.3

$54.1 €46.11

30.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.66 €11.65

$42.85 €36.55

-68.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 €64.6

$81.0 €69.1

-6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.5

$121 €103

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 €452

$277 €236

91.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 €410

$248 €211

94.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 €660

$429 €366

80.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 €588

$452 €386

52.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,453 €2,092

$997 €850

146.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,800 €1,535

$737 €629

144.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,577 €1,345

$1,046 €892

50.80%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ventspils: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Martin and $277 in Ventspils. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 51% 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 in Martin vs $59 in Ventspils. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 vs $234, 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Martin pays 51% 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: $530 in Martin versus $277 in Ventspils. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,475 per month in Martin versus $1,260 in Ventspils – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ventspils runs roughly 31% less than in Martin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Ventspils versus $1,475 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 17% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.