Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ha Long Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ha Long Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $734 in Ha Long Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,116 in Ha Long Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,498 in Ha Long Bay.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 201% more expensive than Ha Long Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Ha Long Bay is 45% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.91 €13.69
$1.87 ₫49.3K
750.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8 €55.7
$21.00 ₫551.9K
208.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 €9.04
$4.49 ₫118.0K
134.08%
Cappuccino
$2.87 €2.47
$1.60 ₫42.1K
79.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €1.93
$0.51 ₫13.5K
339.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 €1.29
$0.30 ₫7,988
400.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.49 €3.00
$0.92 ₫24.2K
279.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 €3.34
$1.50 ₫39.3K
158.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 €0.98
$1.44 ₫37.9K
-20.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 €1.51
$0.92 ₫24.1K
90.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 €1.51
$0.98 ₫25.8K
79.59%
Eggs
$3.22 €2.77
$1.15 ₫30.1K
180.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.49 €11.61
$11.54 ₫303.3K
16.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.91 €6.81
$3.61 ₫94.7K
119.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.87 €13.65
$9.70 ₫254.9K
63.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 €1.99
$2.72 ₫71.5K
-15.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 €1.46
$1.07 ₫28.1K
58.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.01 €1.73
$1.35 ₫35.5K
48.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 €2.12
$1.13 ₫29.6K
117.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.59
$1.08 ₫28.4K
70.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.72
$1.02 ₫26.7K
96.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.93 €1.66
$0.59 ₫15.6K
227.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 €0.68
$0.48 ₫12.7K
64.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.61 €5.68
$1.37 ₫35.9K
382.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.72 €4.92
$9.88 ₫259.6K
-42.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.17
$0.80 ₫20.9K
71.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 €2.56
$1.63 ₫42.9K
82.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.37 €2.04
$0.34 ₫9,030
597.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.56 €39.19
$6.61 ₫173.6K
589.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.29 €3.69
$0.76 ₫20.0K
464.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 €0.70
$0.61 ₫16.0K
34.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.30 €15.74
$2.73 ₫71.7K
570.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 €1.78
$0.85 ₫22.3K
142.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K €29.5K
$34.9K ₫916.1M
-1.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €33.8K
$32.0K ₫841.7M
22.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 €127
$75.7 ₫2.0M
95.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.52 €17.65
$5.90 ₫155.1K
247.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.61 €34.08
$8.49 ₫223.1K
366.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.85 €41.16
$21.44 ₫563.4K
123.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.92 €16.28
$7.69 ₫201.9K
146.03%
Cinema Ticket
$9.18 €7.90
$3.05 ₫80.0K
200.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$614 €528
$263 ₫6.9M
133.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K €13.8K
$11.8K ₫311.4M
35.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 €90.0
$40.84 ₫1.1M
156.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 €36.18
$23.33 ₫613.0K
80.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.0 €80.8
$87.2 ₫2.3M
7.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €103
$75.3 ₫2.0M
58.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 €1,400
$356 ₫9.3M
357.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,255 €1,080
$244 ₫6.4M
414.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,030 €2,607
$684 ₫18.0M
343.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,020 €1,738
$467 ₫12.3M
332.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,800 €6,709
$3,492 ₫91.7M
123.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,273 €3,675
$1,377 ₫36.2M
210.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Ha Long Bay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,603 €1,379
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
9.1
-58.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ha Long Bay: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $356 in Ha Long Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $21.00 in Ha Long Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $185 per month, with Ha Long Bay 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 Ha Long Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ha Long Bay cheaper than Lisbon?
Ha Long Bay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,101 in Ha Long Bay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Ha Long Bay?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $356 in Ha Long Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Ha Long Bay runs roughly 589% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $263 in Ha Long Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Lisbon or Ha Long Bay?
At $734 in Ha Long Bay versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ha Long Bay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ha Long Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lisbon or Ha Long Bay more family-friendly?
For families, Ha Long Bay 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.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Ha Long Bay?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Ha Long Bay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ha Long Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 201% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities