Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Beijing (Pekin) Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Beijing (Pekin)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,243 per month in Lisbon vs $1,072 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,804 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Lisbon vs $2,537 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

Lisbon costs about 109% more than Beijing (Pekin), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 67% above the global median, while Beijing (Pekin) is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.45

$4.16 ¥28.44

278.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €54.0

$27.41 ¥187

130.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.82

$5.18 ¥35.41

99.23%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$3.21 ¥21.93

-12.46%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$0.46 ¥3.14

406.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.30 ¥2.07

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.88

$1.13 ¥7.75

198.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$2.05 ¥14.04

90.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.72 ¥11.78

-37.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.64 ¥11.19

6.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.07 ¥7.29

63.55%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.65

$1.74 ¥11.89

78.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.35

$15.91 ¥109

-16.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.71

$3.35 ¥22.88

134.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.72

$9.81 ¥67.1

63.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$2.09 ¥14.29

14.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.63 ¥11.17

5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.72 ¥11.77

14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.18

$1.29 ¥8.81

97.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.86 ¥5.86

108.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.97 ¥6.63

103.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.68

$0.73 ¥4.96

168.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.56 ¥3.86

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.83

$3.40 ¥23.23

100.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €5.00

$10.54 ¥72.1

-44.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.82 ¥5.60

68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.50

$1.83 ¥12.54

59.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.96

$0.54 ¥3.72

324.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €40.08

$31.84 ¥218

47.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.52

$1.86 ¥12.73

121.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.35 ¥2.41

131.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.20

$10.31 ¥70.5

83.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.10 ¥7.52

90.00%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$18.9K ¥129.1K

86.11%

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

$39.7K €34.0K

$15.3K ¥104.6K

159.66%

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

$150 €128

$53.1 ¥363

181.60%

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

$20.49 €17.52

$8.61 ¥58.9

137.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.47

$12.56 ¥85.9

211.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.45

$49.03 ¥335

1.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.80

$18.34 ¥125

0.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.86

$8.45 ¥57.8

8.88%

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

$624 €534

$682 ¥4,662

-8.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$24.0K ¥164.5K

-33.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.4

$63.3 ¥433

61.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.95

$35.25 ¥241

15.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.8

$77.2 ¥528

23.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €104

$101 ¥689

20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,413

$891 ¥6,096

85.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,054

$448 ¥3,066

175.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,602

$1,954 ¥13.4K

55.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,761

$1,082 ¥7,399

90.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,736

$12.3K ¥83.9K

-35.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,679

$6,293 ¥43.0K

-31.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,339

$1,586 ¥10.8K

-1.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.64

4.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Lisbon versus $891 in Beijing (Pekin). 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 1% higher in Beijing (Pekin), 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 $63 in Lisbon versus $27 in Beijing (Pekin). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $215 – making Beijing (Pekin) 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

Lisbon vs Beijing (Pekin): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 109%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,365 per month in Lisbon and $1,608 in Beijing (Pekin). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $27.00 in Beijing (Pekin). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,243 in Lisbon and $1,072 in Beijing (Pekin). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Beijing (Pekin), where all-in costs run around $1,072, than in Lisbon at $2,243. In Beijing (Pekin) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beijing (Pekin) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Beijing (Pekin). 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.