Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Haikou Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Haikou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $761 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,184 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,607 in Haikou.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 200% more expensive than in Haikou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Haikou is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$2.53 ¥17.09

522.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$24.42 ¥165

159.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$5.08 ¥34.32

105.71%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.97 ¥20.08

-2.02%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.46 ¥3.09

397.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.31 ¥2.06

383.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.43 ¥9.63

148.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$3.65 ¥24.67

8.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.79 ¥12.06

-39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.38 ¥9.30

27.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$0.87 ¥5.90

95.40%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.93 ¥13.02

68.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$12.72 ¥85.9

4.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$5.47 ¥36.90

40.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$15.26 ¥103

3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$0.88 ¥5.94

159.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$0.88 ¥5.91

88.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.43 ¥2.92

369.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$0.94 ¥6.35

162.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.70 ¥4.75

155.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.72 ¥4.83

187.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.29 ¥1.97

579.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.50 ¥3.35

66.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$2.94 ¥19.84

122.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$11.79 ¥79.6

-52.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$0.79 ¥5.34

68.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.65 ¥11.11

82.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.29 ¥1.96

682.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$16.66 ¥112

178.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$2.86 ¥19.32

47.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.36 ¥2.41

136.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$6.74 ¥45.51

179.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.17 ¥7.91

72.65%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$20.3K ¥137.3K

71.88%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$16.1K ¥108.6K

146.41%

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

$148 €128

$33.90 ¥229

336.37%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$14.08 ¥95.1

45.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$8.34 ¥56.3

373.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$32.91 ¥222

46.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$5.83 ¥39.38

215.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$5.29 ¥35.73

72.02%

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

$615 €532

$335 ¥2,264

83.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$27.4K ¥184.9K

-40.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$41.41 ¥280

145.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$41.54 ¥280

1.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$41.06 ¥277

124.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$34.51 ¥233

253.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$345 ¥2,326

367.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$277 ¥1,867

353.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$527 ¥3,556

482.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$475 ¥3,206

328.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$3,170 ¥21.4K

144.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$2,103 ¥14.2K

103.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$722 ¥4,871

121.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.85

-21.44%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Haikou: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $345 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 122% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $24.00 in Haikou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $212 per month, with Haikou 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 Haikou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Haikou differ by about 200% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $761 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 122% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $345 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $761 in Haikou – a 200% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 178% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $761 in Haikou versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Haikou but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Haikou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Haikou 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 Haikou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 200% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.