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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $771 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,184 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,598 in Haikou.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 189% more expensive than Haikou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Haikou is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$2.44 ¥16.72

562.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$24.48 ¥168

163.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$5.11 ¥35.02

103.13%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.91 ¥19.90

-4.81%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.45 ¥3.08

400.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.33 ¥2.27

375.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.38 ¥9.43

152.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.62 ¥24.83

10.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.84 ¥12.58

-41.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.38 ¥9.45

26.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.85 ¥5.82

104.71%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.94 ¥13.27

63.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$12.63 ¥86.5

6.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$5.63 ¥38.55

41.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$15.12 ¥104

6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.82 ¥5.60

178.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.88 ¥6.00

95.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$0.41 ¥2.80

373.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$0.94 ¥6.47

170.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.76 ¥5.20

140.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.68 ¥4.65

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.27 ¥1.84

633.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.49 ¥3.35

73.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.91 ¥19.93

135.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$10.06 ¥68.9

-42.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.74 ¥5.10

85.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.64 ¥11.25

76.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.27 ¥1.84

744.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$16.47 ¥113

184.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.83 ¥19.40

44.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.35 ¥2.41

134.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$6.61 ¥45.29

176.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.15 ¥7.90

74.78%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$20.7K ¥141.8K

70.42%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$16.3K ¥112.0K

135.48%

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

$145 €124

$34.36 ¥235

323.17%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$13.95 ¥95.5

50.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$8.20 ¥56.2

388.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$32.30 ¥221

51.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$5.99 ¥41.01

212.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.44 ¥37.29

66.54%

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

$607 €519

$329 ¥2,252

84.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$28.1K ¥192.3K

-41.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$41.84 ¥287

150.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$41.81 ¥286

-2.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$42.15 ¥289

122.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$34.97 ¥240

239.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$354 ¥2,428

352.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$280 ¥1,918

341.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$544 ¥3,723

460.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$470 ¥3,220

337.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$3,174 ¥21.7K

142.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$2,113 ¥14.5K

101.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$694 ¥4,752

128.32%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Haikou: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $354 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 128% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $24.00 in Haikou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $208 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 189% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $771 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 128% more on average, 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $354 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $771 in Haikou – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 184% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $771 in Haikou versus $2,227 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 189% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.