Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeongju and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeongju: $1,227 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gyeongju, South Korea
Lisbon, Portugal
Gyeongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,227
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gyeongju 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 Gyeongju and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,227 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $1,227
  • Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Gyeongju vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $2,008
  • Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $2,788 per month in Gyeongju vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $2,788
  • Lisbon $4,341

Gyeongju is about 44% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Gyeongju sits 10% below the global median, while Lisbon is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.65 ₩10.2K
$16.65 €14.92
-54.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.45 ₩66.3K
$61.7 €55.3
-19.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.60 ₩8,848
$11.36 €10.18
-41.90%
Cappuccino
$3.05 ₩4,092
$2.97 €2.66
2.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 ₩1,477
$2.29 €2.05
-51.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₩485
$1.74 €1.56
-79.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.68 ₩3,592
$3.40 €3.05
-21.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.23 ₩5,663
$3.31 €2.97
27.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 ₩3,018
$1.16 €1.04
93.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ₩3,392
$1.91 €1.71
32.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.07 ₩4,114
$1.51 €1.36
103.31%
Eggs
$2.65 ₩3,554
$4.02 €3.60
-34.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.17 ₩15.0K
$12.94 €11.59
-13.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.46 ₩14.0K
$7.77 €6.97
34.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.08 ₩25.6K
$17.76 €15.92
7.43%
Apples (1kg)
$4.61 ₩6,185
$2.30 €2.06
100.43%
Banana (1kg)
$2.69 ₩3,604
$1.73 €1.55
55.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.86 ₩5,168
$1.86 €1.66
107.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.68 ₩4,933
$2.59 €2.32
42.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.61 ₩3,504
$1.82 €1.63
43.41%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 ₩3,057
$1.97 €1.76
15.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 ₩3,002
$1.47 €1.32
52.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₩1,726
$0.72 €0.65
79.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 ₩4,444
$6.58 €5.90
-49.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.13 ₩20.3K
$5.61 €5.02
169.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 ₩1,549
$1.36 €1.22
-14.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 ₩3,068
$2.14 €1.91
7.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 ₩1,373
$2.33 €2.09
-56.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.04
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.98 ₩3,994
$3.85 €3.45
-22.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₩1,042
$1.07 €0.96
-27.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.95 ₩22.7K
$16.46 €14.75
2.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₩1,435
$2.20 €1.97
-51.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.1K ₩53.7M
$34.2K €30.6K
17.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K ₩44.7M
$38.7K €34.7K
-13.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.2 ₩108.8K
$161 €144
-49.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.92 ₩48.1K
$18.41 €16.50
95.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.37 ₩36.7K
$32.74 €29.34
-16.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.1 ₩73.8K
$44.55 €39.92
23.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.94 ₩18.7K
$19.10 €17.11
-27.02%
Cinema Ticket
$11.09 ₩14.9K
$9.60 €8.60
15.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$633 ₩848.8K
$668 €598
-5.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.0K ₩29.6M
$17.6K €15.8K
25.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.48 ₩59.6K
$102 €91.4
-56.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.62 ₩30.3K
$44.46 €39.85
-49.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 ₩124.8K
$98.5 €88.3
-5.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 ₩174.4K
$124 €111
5.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$490 ₩657.0K
$1,608 €1,441
-69.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 ₩475.0K
$1,190 €1,066
-70.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 ₩1.6M
$2,812 €2,520
-58.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$739 ₩991.0K
$2,013 €1,804
-63.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,222 ₩9.7M
$7,839 €7,025
-7.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,555 ₩7.4M
$4,576 €4,100
21.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gyeongju
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,898 ₩2.5M
$1,575 €1,411
20.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
3.85
9.61%

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

Last update for Gyeongju: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Gyeongju
$364
Lisbon
$272 25.2% $92
Accommodation & Living
Gyeongju
$354
Lisbon
$1.2K 236% $836
Eating Out
Gyeongju
$145
Lisbon
$243 66.9% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gyeongju
$144
Lisbon
$212 47% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Gyeongju
$131
Lisbon
$166 27% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Gyeongju
$77
Lisbon
$64 17.5% $14
Getting Around
Gyeongju
$11 *
Lisbon
$63 477% $52

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Gyeongju versus $1,608 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 21% higher in Gyeongju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Gyeongju versus $62 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Gyeongju vs $272 in Lisbon – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Gyeongju
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
09:13 9:13 AM
00:13 12:13 AM
9 h behind Gyeongju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
258,156
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.7 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gyeongju Lisbon 10,690 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gyeongju
  • 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
Gyeongju vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gyeongju cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 80%, 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 $1,841 per month in Gyeongju and $3,315 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 Gyeongju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $490 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
What are total monthly expenses in Gyeongju and in Lisbon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,227 in Gyeongju and $2,210 in Lisbon. That makes Gyeongju about 44% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $633 per month in Gyeongju and $668 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Gyeongju or in Lisbon?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gyeongju, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Gyeongju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Gyeongju or Lisbon more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Gyeongju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Gyeongju or Lisbon?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Gyeongju vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?