Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guilin and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Guilin: $654 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Guilin
🇨🇳 China
$654
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guilin and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Guilin and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $654 per month in Guilin vs $2,202 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Guilin $654
  • Lisbon $2,202

A couple spends around $1,056 per month in Guilin vs $3,274 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Guilin $1,056
  • Lisbon $3,274

A family of three spends $1,458 per month in Guilin vs $4,346 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Guilin $1,458
  • Lisbon $4,346

Guilin is about 70% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Guilin sits 52% below the global median, while Lisbon is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ¥15.32
$17.04 €15.15
-86.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.80 ¥99.0
$62.3 €55.4
-76.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.91 ¥19.45
$11.02 €9.80
-73.59%
Cappuccino
$2.12 ¥14.16
$3.12 €2.78
-32.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ¥2.87
$2.27 €2.02
-81.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ¥1.93
$1.74 €1.55
-83.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.80 ¥5.36
$3.42 €3.04
-76.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 ¥14.14
$3.74 €3.33
-43.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 ¥10.17
$1.17 €1.04
29.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 ¥8.71
$1.86 €1.66
-30.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.67 ¥4.49
$1.54 €1.37
-56.49%
Eggs
$1.84 ¥12.29
$4.06 €3.61
-54.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.14 ¥87.8
$12.91 €11.49
1.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.39 ¥22.69
$7.90 €7.03
-57.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.11 ¥74.3
$17.64 €15.69
-37.02%
Apples (1kg)
$1.47 ¥9.81
$2.26 €2.01
-34.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 ¥8.11
$1.75 €1.55
-30.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.04 ¥6.95
$1.89 €1.68
-44.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.93 ¥6.25
$2.56 €2.27
-63.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 ¥4.93
$1.85 €1.64
-60.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 ¥6.23
$1.97 €1.75
-52.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 ¥3.88
$1.45 €1.29
-60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 ¥2.89
$0.77 €0.69
-44.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.65 ¥24.42
$6.71 €5.97
-45.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.50 ¥76.9
$5.67 €5.04
102.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 ¥5.60
$1.37 €1.22
-38.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 ¥10.87
$2.11 €1.88
-22.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 ¥2.09
$2.32 €2.07
-86.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.76 ¥119
$44.43 €39.52
-60.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.37 ¥9.15
$3.95 €3.51
-65.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 ¥2.10
$1.05 €0.93
-70.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.14 ¥47.77
$17.15 €15.26
-58.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 ¥8.09
$2.19 €1.95
-44.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4K ¥129.5K
$33.8K €30.0K
-42.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.5K ¥117.3K
$38.3K €34.0K
-54.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$23.99 ¥160
$164 €146
-85.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.02 ¥33.53
$18.48 €16.43
-72.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.20 ¥74.9
$32.96 €29.32
-66.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.76 ¥279
$45.87 €40.80
-8.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.13 ¥101
$18.68 €16.61
-19.00%
Cinema Ticket
$5.11 ¥34.17
$9.75 €8.67
-47.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$413 ¥2,763
$684 €608
-39.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.4K ¥116.7K
$17.6K €15.7K
-1.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.07 ¥288
$104 €92.3
-58.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.32 ¥223
$46.20 €41.09
-27.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.5 ¥492
$99.7 €88.7
-26.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.4 ¥491
$125 €111
-41.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$294 ¥1,964
$1,589 €1,414
-81.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$183 ¥1,221
$1,169 €1,040
-84.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$633 ¥4,236
$2,851 €2,536
-77.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 ¥2,537
$1,993 €1,773
-80.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,367 ¥9,139
$7,793 €6,932
-82.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,907 ¥12.8K
$4,418 €3,930
-56.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guilin
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$498 ¥3,327
$1,600 €1,423
-68.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.36
3.85
-12.73%

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

Last update for Guilin: October 20, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Guilin
$193
Lisbon
$273 41.1% $80
Accommodation & Living
Guilin
$183
Lisbon
$1.2K 540% $986
Clothing & Footwear
Guilin
$100
Lisbon
$168 67.7% $68
Eating Out
Guilin
$64
Lisbon
$247 289% $184
Sport & Entertainment
Guilin
$52
Lisbon
$65 25.8% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guilin
$40
Lisbon
$215 435% $175
Getting Around
Guilin
$22
Lisbon
$63 187% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in Guilin versus $1,589 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 221% 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 $15.00 in Guilin versus $62.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $273 – making Guilin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Guilin
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
14:59 2:59 PM
06:59 6:59 AM
8 h behind Guilin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,931,137
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guilin Lisbon 10,520 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guilin
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Guilin vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lisbon cheaper than Guilin?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 236%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $981 per month in Guilin and $3,302 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guilin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Guilin or in Lisbon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Guilin and $62.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Guilin and in Lisbon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $654 in Guilin and $2,202 in Lisbon. That's a gap of about 236%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Guilin or in Lisbon?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guilin, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Lisbon at $2,202. In Guilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Guilin or Lisbon more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Guilin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Guilin or Lisbon?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Guilin. 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.

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