Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cheongju Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cheongju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,271 in Cheongju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,916 in Cheongju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,562 in Cheongju.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 75% more expensive than Cheongju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Cheongju is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.81

$7.10 ₩10.5K

127.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.1

$36.92 ₩54.4K

74.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.86

$4.75 ₩7,000

118.53%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$4.20 ₩6,192

-34.05%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.82 ₩2,675

23.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$1.33 ₩1,960

18.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$3.65 ₩5,385

-4.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.42

$5.85 ₩8,619

-31.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.03 ₩2,989

-46.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.49 ₩5,135

-50.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$1.80 ₩2,646

-3.33%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.71

$2.14 ₩3,149

48.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.47

$10.37 ₩15.3K

29.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.83

$8.15 ₩12.0K

-1.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

$14.73 ₩21.7K

9.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.90 ₩4,276

-21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$2.85 ₩4,205

-39.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$7.33 ₩10.8K

-73.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$5.10 ₩7,520

-50.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

$5.18 ₩7,634

-64.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$2.99 ₩4,407

-31.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$2.10 ₩3,097

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.45 ₩670

88.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

$3.40 ₩5,011

101.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.93

$13.40 ₩19.7K

-56.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.76 ₩2,589

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.23 ₩3,284

30.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.20 ₩1,771

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

$74.2 ₩109.3K

-36.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

$2.72 ₩4,000

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.78 ₩1,151

5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.60

$16.73 ₩24.6K

9.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.20 ₩1,771

67.50%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

$27.8K ₩41.0M

26.80%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$24.8K ₩36.5M

55.44%

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

$145 €124

$187 ₩274.8K

-22.05%

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

$20.96 €17.90

$24.21 ₩35.7K

-13.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.21

$14.77 ₩21.8K

171.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.66

$60.7 ₩89.4K

-19.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

$33.69 ₩49.6K

-44.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.74

$7.54 ₩11.1K

20.16%

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

$607 €518

$487 ₩718.0K

24.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$14.2K ₩20.9M

14.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$36.46 ₩53.7K

187.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

$47.11 ₩69.4K

-13.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €79.9

$89.9 ₩132.4K

4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$108 ₩159.3K

9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,370

$300 ₩442.6K

433.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,055

$236 ₩348.0K

423.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,601

$418 ₩616.0K

628.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,756

$301 ₩443.3K

583.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

$9,730 ₩14.3M

-20.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

$5,844 ₩8.6M

-26.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

$2,369 ₩3.5M

-33.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.22

-9.72%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cheongju: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $300 in Cheongju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $37.00 in Cheongju. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $349, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 75% 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.

On paper, Cheongju earns 50% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $300 in Cheongju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,271 in Cheongju – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 58% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Cheongju versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cheongju delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,271 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cheongju hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Cheongju 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 Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.