Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cha-am Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cha-am

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $910 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,464 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,018 in Cha-am.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 149% more expensive than in Cha-am, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Cha-am is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$3.14 ฿104

458.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$21.86 ฿722

195.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.43 ฿246

56.80%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.10 ฿69.3

55.24%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.70 ฿23.15

255.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.32 ฿10.74

421.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.40 ฿79.1

44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.97 ฿98.3

20.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.75 ฿57.7

-32.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.50 ฿49.68

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.42 ฿46.88

9.86%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.88 ฿62.3

113.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$12.57 ฿415

5.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$2.65 ฿87.5

217.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.51 ฿347

73.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.59 ฿119

-35.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.25 ฿41.24

38.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.92 ฿63.4

0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.87 ฿61.7

41.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.79 ฿59.3

6.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.07 ฿35.46

97.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.19 ฿39.16

21.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.43 ฿14.11

86.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$4.39 ฿145

59.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$18.15 ฿600

-67.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.71 ฿56.6

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.08 ฿102

-30.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.89 ฿29.48

167.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$22.37 ฿739

106.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.41 ฿46.46

197.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.15 ฿37.88

-4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$3.62 ฿120

376.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.41 ฿46.47

59.57%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$16.8K ฿556.3K

104.71%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$27.2K ฿899.9K

52.81%

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

$171 €147

$84.2 ฿2,782

102.92%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$11.67 ฿386

62.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$23.03 ฿761

48.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$23.92 ฿790

107.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$6.15 ฿203

217.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$6.65 ฿220

51.88%

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

$699 €603

$637 ฿21.1K

9.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$10.9K ฿360.6K

62.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$52.1 ฿1,722

100.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$29.55 ฿976

62.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$72.2 ฿2,387

41.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$55.2 ฿1,825

132.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$387 ฿12.8K

329.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$276 ฿9,128

344.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$754 ฿24.9K

286.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$660 ฿21.8K

206.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$371 ฿12.3K

336.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.96

-36.58%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $387 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 336% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $22.00 in Cha-am for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $239 per month, with Cha-am 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

Lisbon vs Cha-am: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Cha-am differ by about 149% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $910 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 336% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $387 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $910 in Cha-am – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 107% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $910 in Cha-am versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Cha-am 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.