Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chongqing Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chongqing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $732 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $1,164 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,596 in Chongqing, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 217% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Chongqing is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$2.70 ¥18.07

540.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$22.67 ¥152

179.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$4.79 ¥32.12

137.79%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.01 ¥13.49

58.71%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.46 ¥3.10

432.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.31 ¥2.11

467.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.22 ¥8.14

194.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.75 ¥11.73

93.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.92 ¥12.85

-35.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.58 ¥10.60

25.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.64 ¥4.26

137.50%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$2.13 ¥14.26

89.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$18.11 ¥121

-25.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$3.31 ¥22.16

153.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$10.09 ¥67.6

80.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.54 ¥10.31

48.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.31 ¥8.79

32.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.18 ¥7.93

57.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.20 ¥8.05

119.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.64 ¥4.30

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.93 ¥6.21

124.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.86 ¥5.79

67.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.60 ¥4.05

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.89 ¥19.34

134.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$8.73 ¥58.5

-34.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.76 ¥5.07

81.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.62 ¥10.88

37.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.36 ¥2.41

566.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$21.96 ¥147

113.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.50 ¥10.08

178.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.29 ¥1.93

293.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$3.00 ¥20.07

489.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.27 ¥8.51

82.68%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$19.1K ¥128.0K

85.05%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$16.9K ¥113.0K

145.80%

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

$170 €147

$43.83 ¥294

288.62%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$6.95 ¥46.54

178.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$6.87 ¥46.01

389.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$48.77 ¥327

-1.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$10.54 ¥70.7

88.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$5.83 ¥39.04

70.15%

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

$717 €617

$283 ¥1,900

153.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$25.2K ¥169.1K

-30.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$39.61 ¥265

164.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$29.50 ¥198

59.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$64.5 ¥432

60.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$64.4 ¥431

92.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$420 ¥2,814

299.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$202 ¥1,353

529.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$861 ¥5,768

246.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$415 ¥2,778

380.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$2,682 ¥18.0K

191.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$1,703 ¥11.4K

173.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$1,119 ¥7,500

41.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.34

13.47%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $420 in Chongqing. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $23.00 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $212 – making Chongqing the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chongqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 217%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $1,097 in Chongqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chongqing, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $717 per month in Lisbon and $283 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chongqing. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.