Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cheongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Cheongju: $1,409 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Cheongju, South Korea
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Cheongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,409
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Cheongju

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Cheongju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,409 in Cheongju.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Cheongju $1,409

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,329 in Cheongju.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Cheongju $2,329

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,249 in Cheongju.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Cheongju $3,249

Living in Lisbon is roughly 57% more expensive than in Cheongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Cheongju 4% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$7.47 ₩9,963
122.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$48.95 ₩65.3K
26.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$5.88 ₩7,844
93.20%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.66 ₩4,875
-18.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.84 ₩2,458
24.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.40 ₩1,861
24.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$3.65 ₩4,872
-6.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$4.33 ₩5,776
-23.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$2.25 ₩3,005
-48.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$3.25 ₩4,340
-41.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.05 ₩4,074
-50.49%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$2.73 ₩3,647
47.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$11.16 ₩14.9K
15.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$10.65 ₩14.2K
-27.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$24.55 ₩32.7K
-27.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$11.40 ₩15.2K
-79.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$3.59 ₩4,786
-51.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$8.30 ₩11.1K
-77.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$5.85 ₩7,801
-55.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$5.84 ₩7,788
-68.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$3.43 ₩4,570
-42.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.87 ₩3,828
-48.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.33 ₩1,767
-45.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$3.45 ₩4,595
90.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$18.71 ₩25.0K
-70.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.46 ₩3,280
-44.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.40 ₩4,541
-37.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.15 ₩1,527
102.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$3.50 ₩4,669
10.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.76 ₩1,014
40.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$16.67 ₩22.2K
-1.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.36 ₩1,811
61.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$39.0K ₩52.1M
-12.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$33.7K ₩45.0M
14.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$205 ₩273.1K
-21.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$24.30 ₩32.4K
-24.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$27.72 ₩37.0K
18.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$53.6 ₩71.4K
-16.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$13.97 ₩18.6K
36.72%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$11.81 ₩15.7K
-18.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$651 ₩867.5K
2.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$21.8K ₩29.1M
-19.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$36.84 ₩49.1K
176.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$65.4 ₩87.1K
-31.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$93.9 ₩125.2K
4.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$113 ₩151.0K
9.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$342 ₩456.6K
369.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$275 ₩367.1K
332.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,197 ₩1.6M
135.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$760 ₩1.0M
164.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$7,228 ₩9.6M
8.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$5,619 ₩7.5M
-18.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Cheongju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,613 ₩3.5M
-39.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.22
-8.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Cheongju: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Cheongju
$275 76.9% $915
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Cheongju
$488 79.2% $216
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Cheongju
$161 33.6% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Cheongju
$257 20.9% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Cheongju
$139 16.1% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Cheongju
$77 21.1% $13
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Cheongju
$12 * 81.2% $51

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $342 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 66% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $49 in Cheongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $488, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇰🇷 Cheongju
🕒 Local time
04:46 4:46 AM
13:46 1:46 PM
9 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
835,669
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,489 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Cheongju 10,530 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Cheongju

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
Lisbon vs Cheongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Cheongju?
Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Cheongju?
On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Cheongju?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $342 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and in Cheongju?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $651 in Cheongju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Cheongju?
Dining out is cheaper in Cheongju – a meal for two runs $49 versus $62 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or in Cheongju?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Cheongju is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or Cheongju?
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.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Cheongju?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Cheongju are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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