Cost of Living Comparison Between Guangzhou (Canton) and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Guangzhou (Canton) and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,416 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,981 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Guangzhou (Canton) is about 62% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Guangzhou (Canton) sits 37% below the global median, while Lisbon is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 ¥18.57

$15.91 €13.70

-82.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.37 ¥151

$64.8 €55.8

-65.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.29

$10.51 €9.05

-54.61%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.43

$2.87 €2.47

10.45%

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

$0.50 ¥3.40

$2.24 €1.93

-77.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.02

$1.50 €1.30

-80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.84

$3.49 €3.01

-71.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.21

$3.88 €3.34

-57.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.78

$1.14 €0.98

65.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 ¥13.77

$1.75 €1.51

16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.72

$1.76 €1.51

-26.70%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.57

$3.22 €2.77

-51.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ¥130

$13.49 €11.62

41.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 ¥31.84

$7.91 €6.81

-40.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 ¥97.0

$15.87 €13.67

-9.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.38

$2.31 €1.99

-8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.49

$1.70 €1.46

-26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.49

$2.01 €1.73

-1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.03

$2.46 €2.12

-39.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.43

$1.84 €1.59

-48.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.34

$2.00 €1.72

-46.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$1.93 €1.66

-70.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.79 €0.68

-22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥26.57

$6.61 €5.69

-40.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 ¥71.0

$5.72 €4.93

83.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.37 €1.18

-32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$2.97 €2.56

-52.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$2.37 €2.04

-81.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.10 ¥170

$45.56 €39.23

-44.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ¥10.98

$4.29 €3.69

-62.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.34

$0.82 €0.70

-57.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 ¥41.39

$18.30 €15.76

-66.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.86

$2.06 €1.78

-43.69%

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

$21.3K ¥144.0K

$34.3K €29.5K

-37.94%

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

$19.5K ¥131.7K

$39.3K €33.8K

-50.49%

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

$60.2 ¥408

$148 €127

-59.26%

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

$12.94 ¥87.6

$20.52 €17.67

-36.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.49 ¥77.8

$39.61 €34.11

-70.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 ¥276

$47.85 €41.20

-14.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.85 ¥93.7

$18.92 €16.29

-26.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ¥43.81

$9.18 €7.91

-29.52%

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

$319 ¥2,161

$614 €529

-47.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ¥109.7K

$16.0K €13.8K

1.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 ¥279

$105 €90.1

-60.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.59 ¥194

$42.06 €36.22

-32.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 ¥467

$94.0 €80.9

-26.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 ¥417

$120 €103

-48.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 ¥3,333

$1,628 €1,402

-69.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 ¥1,824

$1,255 €1,081

-78.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 ¥7,680

$3,030 €2,609

-62.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 ¥4,181

$2,020 €1,740

-69.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,864 ¥60.0K

$7,800 €6,716

13.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,369 ¥22.8K

$4,273 €3,679

-21.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 ¥8,894

$1,603 €1,381

-18.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.81

7.09%

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

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $492 in Guangzhou (Canton) versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton) versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $269 – making Guangzhou (Canton) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Guangzhou (Canton) vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $850 in Guangzhou (Canton), $2,210 in Lisbon – roughly 160% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,275 per month in Guangzhou (Canton) and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guangzhou (Canton), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) and $2,210 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $850, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Guangzhou (Canton). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.