Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dongguan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dongguan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $762 in Dongguan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,183 in Dongguan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,605 in Dongguan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 190% more expensive than Dongguan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Dongguan is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.46 ¥16.65

546.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$20.48 ¥138

216.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.35 ¥29.40

141.61%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.71 ¥18.35

5.90%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.44 ¥3.01

409.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.29 ¥1.97

417.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.12 ¥7.60

211.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.18 ¥14.73

77.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.71 ¥11.54

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.45 ¥9.78

20.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.97 ¥6.55

81.44%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.80 ¥12.18

78.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.01 ¥88.0

3.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.93 ¥26.60

101.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.39 ¥77.0

39.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.83 ¥12.35

26.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.46 ¥9.85

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.81 ¥12.22

11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.36 ¥9.17

80.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.01 ¥6.82

82.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.46 ¥9.86

36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.65 ¥4.41

196.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.55 ¥3.73

43.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.82 ¥19.09

134.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$14.55 ¥98.4

-60.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.89 ¥6.04

53.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.86 ¥12.55

59.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.29 ¥1.98

717.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$21.18 ¥143

115.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.28 ¥8.63

235.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.35 ¥2.34

134.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$5.43 ¥36.73

237.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.16 ¥7.86

77.59%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$20.8K ¥140.5K

65.00%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$20.5K ¥138.5K

91.83%

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

$148 €127

$62.1 ¥420

138.04%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$8.36 ¥56.5

145.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$12.32 ¥83.3

221.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$60.5 ¥409

-20.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$13.24 ¥89.5

42.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.87 ¥46.45

33.62%

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

$614 €528

$451 ¥3,050

36.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$20.5K ¥138.9K

-21.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$29.57 ¥200

253.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$24.49 ¥166

71.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$61.9 ¥418

51.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$37.57 ¥254

218.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$361 ¥2,442

350.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$216 ¥1,458

482.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$691 ¥4,674

338.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$406 ¥2,745

397.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$5,711 ¥38.6K

36.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$3,110 ¥21.0K

37.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$836 ¥5,653

91.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.04

-5.69%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dongguan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $361 in Dongguan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 92% 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 $20.00 in Dongguan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $220 per month, with Dongguan 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 Dongguan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dongguan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 190% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 92% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $361 in Dongguan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dongguan runs roughly 115% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $451 in Dongguan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $762 in Dongguan versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongguan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Dongguan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dongguan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Dongguan 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 Dongguan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.