Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Changsha Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Changsha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $752 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,227 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,701 in Changsha.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 201% more expensive than Changsha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Changsha is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$2.81 ¥19.03

467.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$20.63 ¥140

207.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$4.77 ¥32.28

117.61%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$3.07 ¥20.73

-9.12%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.42 ¥2.85

457.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.25 ¥1.69

528.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.10 ¥7.42

211.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$1.86 ¥12.56

110.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.92 ¥12.95

-43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.35 ¥15.87

-24.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.93 ¥6.29

83.87%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.63 ¥11.01

93.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$15.89 ¥107

-13.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$3.07 ¥20.79

160.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$9.02 ¥61.0

72.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.91 ¥12.92

19.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.29 ¥8.72

27.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.77 ¥11.97

9.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.81 ¥12.25

38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.89 ¥6.00

101.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.53 ¥10.33

31.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.50 ¥3.39

294.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.42 ¥2.87

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.80 ¥18.95

142.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$12.47 ¥84.3

-54.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.90 ¥6.07

54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.43 ¥9.70

111.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.34 ¥2.29

567.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$13.73 ¥92.9

230.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.28 ¥8.69

235.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.26 ¥1.74

226.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$8.25 ¥55.8

121.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.14 ¥7.68

74.56%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$20.4K ¥137.7K

72.11%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$21.6K ¥145.9K

83.26%

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

$146 €126

$43.59 ¥295

235.35%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$12.35 ¥83.5

65.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$14.65 ¥99.0

166.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$56.8 ¥384

-13.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$22.83 ¥154

-17.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$6.01 ¥40.62

58.40%

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

$608 €524

$311 ¥2,106

95.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,443 ¥50.3K

121.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$84.3 ¥570

23.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$31.02 ¥210

35.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$81.0 ¥548

13.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$69.5 ¥470

72.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$207 ¥1,400

683.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$173 ¥1,171

632.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$513 ¥3,467

494.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$354 ¥2,394

467.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$2,513 ¥17.0K

204.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,370 ¥9,263

216.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,109 ¥7,500

42.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.89

-2.06%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Changsha: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $207 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 43% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $21.00 in Changsha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $222 per month, with Changsha 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 Changsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Changsha differ by about 201% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $752 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 43% more on average, 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $207 in Changsha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changsha – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $752 in Changsha – a 201% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 in Changsha versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changsha but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Changsha 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 Changsha 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 Changsha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 201% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.