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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $770 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,221 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,673 in Changsha.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 189% more expensive than Changsha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Changsha is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$2.87 ¥19.63

463.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$20.69 ¥142

212.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$4.91 ¥33.62

111.41%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.96 ¥20.26

-6.42%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.46 ¥3.16

389.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.25 ¥1.71

528.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.09 ¥7.45

220.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$1.86 ¥12.74

115.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.93 ¥13.25

-44.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.24 ¥15.35

-22.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.91 ¥6.25

91.21%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.61 ¥11.06

97.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$15.92 ¥109

-15.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$3.20 ¥21.94

149.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$8.89 ¥60.9

80.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.84 ¥12.61

23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.34 ¥9.16

28.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.78 ¥12.19

8.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.82 ¥12.43

39.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.89 ¥6.07

105.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.46 ¥9.98

39.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.48 ¥3.26

312.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.40 ¥2.73

112.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.83 ¥19.38

142.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$12.37 ¥84.8

-53.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.89 ¥6.09

53.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.43 ¥9.83

102.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.37 ¥2.50

516.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$14.21 ¥97.3

229.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.24 ¥8.49

229.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.26 ¥1.78

215.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$8.13 ¥55.7

124.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.18 ¥8.10

70.34%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$20.7K ¥142.1K

70.01%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$21.9K ¥149.9K

75.89%

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

$145 €124

$42.83 ¥293

239.48%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$12.61 ¥86.4

66.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$14.52 ¥99.5

175.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$57.1 ¥391

-14.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$23.08 ¥158

-19.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.95 ¥40.75

52.27%

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

$607 €519

$313 ¥2,144

93.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$7,239 ¥49.6K

125.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$84.7 ¥580

23.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$31.31 ¥214

30.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$82.1 ¥563

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$69.3 ¥475

70.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$208 ¥1,424

671.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$171 ¥1,170

623.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$506 ¥3,463

502.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$366 ¥2,504

462.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,503 ¥17.1K

207.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,325 ¥9,073

222.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,094 ¥7,496

44.76%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Changsha: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $208 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 45% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $21.00 in Changsha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $220 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 189% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $770 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 45% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $208 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $770 in Changsha – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $770 in Changsha versus $2,227 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 189% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.