Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Guangzhou (Canton)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $850 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,416 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,981 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Lisbon costs about 160% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$2.74 ¥18.57

480.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$22.37 ¥151

189.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$4.77 ¥32.29

120.34%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.17 ¥21.43

-9.46%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.50 ¥3.40

348.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.30 ¥2.02

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.01 ¥6.84

245.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.66 ¥11.21

133.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.89 ¥12.78

-39.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.03 ¥13.77

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.29 ¥8.72

36.43%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.56 ¥10.57

106.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$19.15 ¥130

-29.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.70 ¥31.84

68.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$14.33 ¥97.0

10.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.12 ¥14.38

8.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.25 ¥8.49

36.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.99 ¥13.49

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.48 ¥10.03

66.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.95 ¥6.43

93.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.08 ¥7.34

85.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.56 ¥3.81

244.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.61 ¥4.12

29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$3.93 ¥26.57

68.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$10.48 ¥71.0

-45.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.93 ¥6.31

47.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.41 ¥9.54

110.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.44 ¥2.97

438.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$25.10 ¥170

81.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.62 ¥10.98

164.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.35 ¥2.34

134.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$6.12 ¥41.39

199.02%

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

$21.3K ¥144.0K

61.12%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$19.5K ¥131.7K

101.97%

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

$148 €127

$60.2 ¥408

145.47%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$12.94 ¥87.6

58.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$11.49 ¥77.8

244.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$40.75 ¥276

17.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$13.85 ¥93.7

36.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$6.47 ¥43.81

41.89%

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

$614 €529

$319 ¥2,161

92.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$16.2K ¥109.7K

-0.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$41.23 ¥279

153.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$28.59 ¥194

47.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$69.1 ¥467

36.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$61.7 ¥417

94.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$492 ¥3,333

230.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$269 ¥1,824

365.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,135 ¥7,680

167.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$618 ¥4,181

227.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$8,864 ¥60.0K

-12.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$3,369 ¥22.8K

26.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$1,314 ¥8,894

22.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.08

-6.62%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $492 in Guangzhou (Canton). 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 22% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $251 – making Guangzhou (Canton) 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 Guangzhou (Canton): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 160% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,275 in Guangzhou (Canton). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $850 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $850, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Guangzhou (Canton). 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.