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: $806 in Merida versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,397 in Merida versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,987 in Merida versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Merida costs roughly 65% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merida is 41% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 VES 9,774

$17.30 €14.93

-29.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 VES 48.8K

$63.3 €54.6

-3.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 VES 8,981

$11.39 €9.83

-1.76%

Cappuccino

$2.57 VES 2,061

$3.19 €2.75

-19.44%

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

$2.13 VES 1,710

$2.45 €2.11

-13.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 VES 1,082

$1.76 €1.52

-23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 VES 1,573

$3.59 €3.10

-45.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 VES 2,343

$3.39 €2.93

-13.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 VES 1,562

$1.24 €1.07

57.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 VES 2,547

$1.98 €1.71

60.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 VES 1,610

$1.52 €1.31

32.24%

Eggs

$2.55 VES 2,045

$4.04 €3.49

-36.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.74 VES 5,412

$13.54 €11.68

-50.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 VES 6,212

$8.39 €7.24

-7.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 VES 6,013

$18.25 €15.75

-58.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 VES 3,976

$2.29 €1.98

116.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 VES 1,117

$1.74 €1.50

-20.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 VES 2,294

$1.86 €1.60

53.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 VES 1,879

$2.63 €2.27

-11.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,642

$1.92 €1.65

6.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 VES 1,056

$2.09 €1.81

-36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 VES 1,194

$1.44 €1.24

3.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 VES 2,117

$0.84 €0.73

214.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 VES 2,924

$6.78 €5.85

-46.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 VES 8,806

$5.71 €4.93

92.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 VES 1,161

$1.38 €1.19

5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 VES 1,787

$2.22 €1.91

0.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 230

$2.40 €2.07

-87.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 VES 3,117

$4.17 €3.60

-6.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 VES 1,231

$1.14 €0.98

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 VES 4,895

$17.68 €15.26

-65.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 VES 572

$2.32 €2.01

-69.40%

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

$45.3K VES 36.3M

$35.3K €30.5K

28.13%

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

$50.1K VES 40.2M

$41.4K €35.8K

20.96%

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

$12.70 VES 10.2K

$170 €147

-92.54%

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

$10.37 VES 8,324

$19.34 €16.69

-46.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.45 VES 24.4K

$33.64 €29.03

-9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.23 VES 24.3K

$48.10 €41.50

-37.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 VES 12.3K

$19.90 €17.17

-23.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 VES 4,113

$9.92 €8.56

-48.39%

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

$87.4 VES 70.2K

$717 €619

-87.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,439 VES 2.0M

$17.5K €15.1K

-86.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.4 VES 59.7K

$105 €90.4

-28.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.04 VES 32.9K

$46.95 €40.51

-12.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 VES 76.9K

$103 €89.2

-7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 VES 77.9K

$124 €107

-21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 VES 107.8K

$1,677 €1,447

-91.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.6 VES 76.0K

$1,271 €1,097

-92.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 VES 182.0K

$2,985 €2,575

-92.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 VES 152.2K

$1,992 €1,719

-90.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,168 VES 937.9K

$7,826 €6,753

-85.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 VES 952.1K

$4,658 €4,019

-74.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$286 VES 229.8K

$1,583 €1,366

-81.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

559.63%

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

Last update for Merida: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $134 in Merida and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 453% 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: $61.0 in Merida vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $287 vs $283, with Lisbon 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

Merida vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merida and Lisbon differ by about 187% in total monthly costs ($806 vs $2,316 including rent). Merida is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 453% 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: $134 in Merida versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $806 per month in Merida versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $806 in Merida versus $2,316 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 187% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.