Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Guilin

For one person, living is cheaper in Guilin: $654 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Guilin
🇨🇳 China
$654
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Guilin

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 Guilin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Lisbon vs $654 in Guilin, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Guilin $654

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Lisbon vs $1,056 in Guilin, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Guilin $1,056

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $1,458 in Guilin, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Guilin $1,458

Lisbon costs about 236% more than Guilin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Guilin is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$2.29 ¥15.32
644.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$14.80 ¥99.0
320.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$2.91 ¥19.45
278.69%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$2.12 ¥14.16
47.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.43 ¥2.87
427.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.29 ¥1.93
500.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$0.80 ¥5.36
327.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$2.11 ¥14.14
77.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.52 ¥10.17
-23.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.30 ¥8.71
43.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$0.67 ¥4.49
129.85%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$1.84 ¥12.29
120.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$13.14 ¥87.8
-1.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$3.39 ¥22.69
133.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$11.11 ¥74.3
58.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.47 ¥9.81
53.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.21 ¥8.11
44.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.04 ¥6.95
81.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$0.93 ¥6.25
175.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$0.74 ¥4.93
150.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$0.93 ¥6.23
111.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$0.58 ¥3.88
150.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$0.43 ¥2.89
79.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$3.65 ¥24.42
83.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$11.50 ¥76.9
-50.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$0.84 ¥5.60
63.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.63 ¥10.87
29.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$0.31 ¥2.09
648.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$17.76 ¥119
150.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$1.37 ¥9.15
188.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.31 ¥2.10
238.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$7.14 ¥47.77
140.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.21 ¥8.09
80.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$19.4K ¥129.5K
74.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$17.5K ¥117.3K
118.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$23.99 ¥160
582.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$5.02 ¥33.53
268.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$11.20 ¥74.9
194.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$41.76 ¥279
9.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$15.13 ¥101
23.46%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$5.11 ¥34.17
90.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$413 ¥2,763
65.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$17.4K ¥116.7K
1.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$43.07 ¥288
140.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$33.32 ¥223
38.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$73.5 ¥492
35.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$73.4 ¥491
69.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$294 ¥1,964
441.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$183 ¥1,221
539.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$633 ¥4,236
349.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$379 ¥2,537
425.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$1,367 ¥9,139
470.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$1,907 ¥12.8K
131.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Guilin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$498 ¥3,327
221.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.36
14.58%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Guilin: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Guilin
$183 84.4% $986
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Guilin
$193 29.1% $80
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Guilin
$64 74.3% $184
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Guilin
$40 81.3% $175
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Guilin
$100 40.4% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Guilin
$52 20.5% $13
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Guilin
$22 65.1% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Lisbon versus $294 in Guilin. 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 221% 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $15.00 in Guilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $193 – making Guilin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇳 Guilin
🕒 Local time
07:36 7:36 AM
15:36 3:36 PM
8 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
4,931,137
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Guilin 10,520 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Guilin

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 Guilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guilin cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 236%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,302 per month in Lisbon and $981 in Guilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guilin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Guilin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon and $15.00 in Guilin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Guilin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,202 in Lisbon and $654 in Guilin. That's a gap of about 236%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Guilin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guilin, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Lisbon at $2,202. In Guilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lisbon or Guilin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Guilin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Guilin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Guilin. 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.

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