Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gyeongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeongju: $1,227 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Gyeongju, South Korea
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Gyeongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,227
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Gyeongju

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

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,227 in Gyeongju, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Gyeongju $1,227

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $2,008 in Gyeongju, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Gyeongju $2,008

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $2,788 in Gyeongju, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Gyeongju $2,788

Lisbon costs about 80% more than Gyeongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Gyeongju is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$7.65 ₩10.2K
117.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$49.45 ₩66.3K
24.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$6.60 ₩8,848
72.12%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.05 ₩4,092
-2.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.10 ₩1,477
108.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.36 ₩485
383.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$2.68 ₩3,592
26.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$4.23 ₩5,663
-21.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$2.25 ₩3,018
-48.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.53 ₩3,392
-24.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.07 ₩4,114
-50.81%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$2.65 ₩3,554
51.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$11.17 ₩15.0K
15.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$10.46 ₩14.0K
-25.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$19.08 ₩25.6K
-6.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$4.61 ₩6,185
-50.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.69 ₩3,604
-35.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.86 ₩5,168
-51.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$3.68 ₩4,933
-29.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.61 ₩3,504
-30.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.28 ₩3,057
-13.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.24 ₩3,002
-34.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.29 ₩1,726
-44.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$3.32 ₩4,444
98.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$15.13 ₩20.3K
-62.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.16 ₩1,549
17.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.29 ₩3,068
-6.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.02 ₩1,373
128.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.98 ₩3,994
29.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.78 ₩1,042
37.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$16.95 ₩22.7K
-2.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.07 ₩1,435
105.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$40.1K ₩53.7M
-14.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$33.3K ₩44.7M
16.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$81.2 ₩108.8K
98.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$35.92 ₩48.1K
-48.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$27.37 ₩36.7K
19.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$55.1 ₩73.8K
-19.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$13.94 ₩18.7K
37.02%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$11.09 ₩14.9K
-13.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$633 ₩848.8K
5.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$22.0K ₩29.6M
-20.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$44.48 ₩59.6K
129.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$22.62 ₩30.3K
96.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$93.1 ₩124.8K
5.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$130 ₩174.4K
-4.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$490 ₩657.0K
228.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$354 ₩475.0K
235.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,170 ₩1.6M
140.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$739 ₩991.0K
172.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$7,222 ₩9.7M
8.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$5,555 ₩7.4M
-17.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Gyeongju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,898 ₩2.5M
-17.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.22
-8.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Gyeongju: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Gyeongju
$354 70.2% $836
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Gyeongju
$364 33.7% $92
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Gyeongju
$145 40.1% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Gyeongju
$144 32% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Gyeongju
$131 21.2% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Gyeongju
$77 21.2% $14
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Gyeongju
$11 * 82.7% $52

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $490 in Gyeongju. 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 21% higher in Gyeongju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $49 in Gyeongju. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Lisbon vs $364 in Gyeongju – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇰🇷 Gyeongju
🕒 Local time
05:13 5:13 AM
14:13 2:13 PM
9 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
258,156
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Gyeongju 10,690 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Gyeongju

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 Gyeongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gyeongju cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 80%, 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,841 in Gyeongju. 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 Gyeongju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $490 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Gyeongju?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,227 in Gyeongju. That makes Gyeongju about 44% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $668 per month in Lisbon and $633 in Gyeongju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Gyeongju?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gyeongju, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Gyeongju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lisbon or Gyeongju more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Gyeongju – 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 Gyeongju?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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