Cost of Living Comparison Between Changshu and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Changshu and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $709 in Changshu versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,130 in Changshu versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in Changshu versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Changshu is 47% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥19.05

$15.91 €13.70

-82.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.75 ¥147

$64.8 €55.8

-66.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.29

$10.51 €9.05

-53.28%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.77

$2.87 €2.47

6.97%

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

$0.44 ¥2.96

$2.24 €1.93

-80.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$1.50 €1.29

-82.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.90

$3.49 €3.01

-75.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.86

$3.88 €3.34

-47.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ¥12.77

$1.14 €0.98

64.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ¥10.53

$1.75 €1.51

-10.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.40

$1.76 €1.51

-46.02%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.47

$3.22 €2.77

-51.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ¥87.2

$13.49 €11.61

-4.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.79

$7.91 €6.81

-59.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 ¥69.9

$15.87 €13.67

-34.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$2.31 €1.99

-22.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.24

$1.70 €1.46

-28.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.06

$2.01 €1.73

-25.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$2.46 €2.12

-55.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ¥5.00

$1.84 €1.59

-59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.50

$2.00 €1.72

-52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$1.93 €1.66

-70.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.76

$0.79 €0.68

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ¥21.33

$6.61 €5.69

-52.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 ¥71.8

$5.72 €4.93

85.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.37 €1.18

-42.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.66

$2.97 €2.56

-47.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$2.37 €2.04

-87.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.75 ¥113

$45.56 €39.22

-63.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ¥9.69

$4.29 €3.69

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.82 €0.70

-59.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.42

$18.30 €15.76

-62.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.62

$2.06 €1.78

-45.63%

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

$19.6K ¥132.4K

$34.3K €29.5K

-42.96%

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

$17.3K ¥117.3K

$39.3K €33.8K

-55.92%

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

$44.27 ¥300

$148 €127

-70.06%

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

$9.92 ¥67.2

$20.52 €17.67

-51.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.49 ¥77.8

$39.61 €34.10

-70.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.00 ¥278

$47.85 €41.19

-14.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.92 ¥94.3

$18.92 €16.29

-26.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 ¥40.91

$9.18 €7.91

-34.20%

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

$335 ¥2,268

$614 €529

-45.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ¥116.1K

$16.0K €13.8K

6.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 ¥296

$105 €90.1

-58.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.70 ¥208

$42.06 €36.21

-27.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥490

$94.0 €80.9

-23.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ¥489

$120 €103

-39.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,854

$1,628 €1,401

-83.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ¥1,327

$1,255 €1,081

-84.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 ¥4,079

$3,030 €2,609

-80.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,478

$2,020 €1,739

-81.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,045 ¥20.6K

$7,800 €6,715

-60.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,017 ¥13.7K

$4,273 €3,678

-52.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

3.81

2.10%

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

Last update for Changshu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Changshu and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Changshu vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $269 per month, with Changshu 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

Changshu vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changshu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 211% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,064 in Changshu and $3,315 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $274 in Changshu versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changshu – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $709 per month in Changshu versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 211% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $709 in Changshu versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changshu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Changshu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changshu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Changshu 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 Changshu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 211% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.