Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $728 in Merida versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,239 in Merida versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,750 in Merida versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Merida costs roughly 68% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merida is 45% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 VES 7,241

$16.19 €14.15

-38.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.60 VES 32.6K

$63.3 €55.3

-29.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 VES 7,174

$10.32 €9.02

-4.84%

Cappuccino

$1.57 VES 1,148

$2.83 €2.47

-44.52%

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

$1.15 VES 839

$2.29 €2.00

-49.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 VES 593

$1.58 €1.38

-48.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 VES 832

$3.40 €2.97

-66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 VES 1,083

$4.03 €3.52

-63.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 VES 1,540

$1.09 €0.95

93.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 VES 1,766

$1.75 €1.53

38.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 VES 1,208

$1.76 €1.54

-6.25%

Eggs

$2.10 VES 1,537

$3.17 €2.77

-33.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.51 VES 4,029

$13.19 €11.53

-58.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 VES 4,708

$7.97 €6.96

-19.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 VES 5,372

$15.53 €13.57

-52.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 VES 3,620

$2.37 €2.07

108.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 VES 780

$1.71 €1.49

-37.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 VES 1,255

$2.01 €1.75

-14.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 VES 761

$2.43 €2.12

-57.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 VES 663

$1.76 €1.54

-48.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 VES 866

$2.03 €1.78

-41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 VES 930

$1.92 €1.68

-33.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 VES 1,323

$0.85 €0.74

112.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 VES 2,998

$6.58 €5.75

-37.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 VES 7,995

$5.58 €4.87

96.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 VES 855

$1.33 €1.16

-12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 VES 1,001

$2.97 €2.60

-53.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 VES 196

$2.28 €1.99

-88.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 VES 2,871

$4.23 €3.69

-7.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 VES 1,789

$0.81 €0.71

202.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 350

$2.08 €1.82

-76.92%

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

$45.4K VES 33.2M

$34.7K €30.3K

30.96%

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

$37.5K VES 27.4M

$39.2K €34.2K

-4.25%

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

$13.23 VES 9,668

$148 €129

-91.06%

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

$10.11 VES 7,383

$20.46 €17.88

-50.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.46 VES 27.4K

$39.56 €34.56

-5.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.06 VES 18.3K

$47.99 €41.93

-47.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.86 VES 10.9K

$18.60 €16.25

-20.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.19 VES 5,253

$9.22 €8.06

-22.02%

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

$57.7 VES 42.1K

$616 €538

-90.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 VES 65.3K

$103 €89.7

-12.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 VES 28.7K

$41.74 €36.47

-5.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 VES 62.7K

$94.8 €82.8

-9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 VES 46.7K

$122 €107

-47.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 VES 83.8K

$1,633 €1,426

-92.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.0 VES 65.0K

$1,232 €1,077

-92.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 VES 152.3K

$3,098 €2,707

-93.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 VES 139.7K

$2,031 €1,775

-90.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,171 VES 855.9K

$7,831 €6,842

-85.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 VES 893.3K

$4,389 €3,835

-72.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$290 VES 211.9K

$1,607 €1,404

-81.96%

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 Merida: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Merida and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 454% 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: $45.00 in Merida vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $267 per month, with Merida cheaper across the board.

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

Merida vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merida and Lisbon differ by about 215% in total monthly costs ($728 vs $2,291 including rent). Merida is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 454% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $115 in Merida versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $728 per month in Merida versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 215% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $728 in Merida versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Merida but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Merida 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, Merida and Lisbon 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 Merida gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.