Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Harbin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Harbin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $898 in Harbin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,441 in Harbin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,984 in Harbin, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 155% more than Harbin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Harbin is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$2.82 ¥19.07

474.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$20.69 ¥140

206.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$5.03 ¥34.00

105.17%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.75 ¥18.61

2.91%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.44 ¥3.01

420.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.29 ¥1.97

444.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$0.87 ¥5.85

290.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$1.76 ¥11.87

128.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.88 ¥12.73

-42.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.88 ¥12.71

-6.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.97 ¥6.53

81.44%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.24 ¥8.41

155.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$10.41 ¥70.4

26.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.66 ¥24.74

117.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$10.72 ¥72.4

44.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.40 ¥16.21

-1.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.71 ¥11.54

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.43 ¥16.42

-17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.05 ¥7.12

131.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.82 ¥5.55

114.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.75 ¥11.83

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.37 ¥2.48

418.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.74 ¥4.99

14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.30 ¥15.56

186.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$17.86 ¥121

-68.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.53 ¥3.61

150.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.39 ¥16.12

24.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.29 ¥1.97

686.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$10.62 ¥71.8

331.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.22 ¥8.23

246.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.36 ¥2.41

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$10.03 ¥67.8

83.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.16 ¥7.85

79.31%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$13.9K ¥94.0K

149.14%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$12.5K ¥84.3K

213.99%

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

$148 €130

$57.2 ¥387

158.74%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$13.60 ¥91.9

50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$16.17 ¥109

144.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$93.1 ¥629

-48.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$27.48 ¥186

-32.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$5.44 ¥36.79

69.49%

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

$616 €540

$237 ¥1,599

160.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$10.5K ¥70.8K

56.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$68.6 ¥464

49.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$28.85 ¥195

44.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$76.5 ¥517

23.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$156 ¥1,055

-21.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$300 ¥2,030

443.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$225 ¥1,519

448.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,326 ¥8,962

133.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$488 ¥3,298

316.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$3,139 ¥21.2K

149.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,318 ¥8,908

232.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$883 ¥5,967

82.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.79

-34.20%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Harbin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $300 in Harbin. 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 82% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $21.00 in Harbin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $225 – making Harbin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Harbin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 155% more than Harbin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,348 in Harbin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Harbin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $21.00 in Harbin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,291 in Lisbon and $898 in Harbin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Harbin, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Harbin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Harbin costs $898 versus $2,291 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Harbin. 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.