Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Cha-am versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,464 in Cha-am versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,018 in Cha-am versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Cha-am costs roughly 60% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cha-am is 34% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 ฿104

$17.55 €15.12

-82.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.86 ฿722

$64.5 €55.6

-66.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 ฿246

$11.65 €10.04

-36.22%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.26 €2.81

-35.58%

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

$0.70 ฿23.15

$2.49 €2.15

-71.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.74

$1.67 €1.44

-80.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿79.1

$3.47 €2.99

-30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.3

$3.58 €3.08

-17.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿57.7

$1.18 €1.02

48.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.68

$1.95 €1.68

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.88

$1.56 €1.35

-8.97%

Eggs

$1.88 ฿62.3

$4.01 €3.46

-53.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 ฿415

$13.27 €11.44

-5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.5

$8.42 €7.26

-68.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ฿347

$18.23 €15.72

-42.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 ฿119

$2.32 €2.00

54.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.24

$1.73 €1.49

-27.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ฿63.4

$1.93 €1.67

-0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 ฿61.7

$2.64 €2.27

-29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ฿59.3

$1.90 €1.64

-5.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.46

$2.11 €1.82

-49.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ฿39.16

$1.44 €1.24

-17.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ฿14.11

$0.80 €0.69

-46.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿145

$7.01 €6.04

-37.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.15 ฿600

$5.92 €5.11

206.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ฿56.6

$1.36 €1.18

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ฿102

$2.15 €1.85

43.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.48

$2.38 €2.05

-62.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.37 ฿739

$46.22 €39.85

-51.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.46

$4.19 €3.61

-66.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿37.88

$1.10 €0.95

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ฿120

$17.26 €14.88

-79.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.47

$2.25 €1.94

-37.33%

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

$16.8K ฿556.3K

$34.5K €29.7K

-51.15%

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

$27.2K ฿899.9K

$41.6K €35.9K

-34.56%

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

$84.2 ฿2,782

$171 €147

-50.72%

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

$11.67 ฿386

$19.01 €16.38

-38.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.03 ฿761

$34.28 €29.55

-32.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.92 ฿790

$49.65 €42.80

-51.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 ฿203

$19.51 €16.81

-68.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 ฿220

$10.10 €8.71

-34.16%

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

$637 ฿21.1K

$699 €603

-8.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ฿360.6K

$17.8K €15.3K

-38.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 ฿1,722

$105 €90.2

-50.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.55 ฿976

$47.97 €41.35

-38.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ฿2,387

$102 €87.8

-29.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 ฿1,825

$128 €111

-56.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 ฿12.8K

$1,661 €1,432

-76.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 ฿9,128

$1,228 €1,059

-77.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ฿24.9K

$2,915 €2,513

-74.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ฿21.8K

$2,023 €1,744

-67.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$371 ฿12.3K

$1,619 €1,396

-77.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

3.78

57.67%

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

Last update for Cha-am: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Cha-am and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 336% 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: $22.00 in Cha-am vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $281 per month, with Cha-am 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

Cha-am vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cha-am and Lisbon differ by about 149% in total monthly costs ($910 vs $2,268 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 336% 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: $387 in Cha-am versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Cha-am versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 107% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $910 in Cha-am versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am 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, Cha-am 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.