Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Heyuan

For one person, living is cheaper in Heyuan: $795 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Heyuan, China
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Heyuan
🇨🇳 China
$795
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Heyuan

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

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $795 in Heyuan, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Heyuan $795

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $1,264 in Heyuan, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Heyuan $1,264

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $1,732 in Heyuan, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Heyuan $1,732

Lisbon costs about 178% more than Heyuan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Heyuan is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$2.98 ¥19.82
458.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$29.61 ¥197
108.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$5.32 ¥35.34
113.53%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.03 ¥20.15
-1.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$0.58 ¥3.87
294.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.36 ¥2.42
383.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$1.32 ¥8.80
157.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.78 ¥18.45
19.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.87 ¥12.40
-37.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.82 ¥12.08
4.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.11 ¥7.35
36.04%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$1.60 ¥10.61
151.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$16.83 ¥112
-23.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$5.19 ¥34.48
49.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$12.27 ¥81.6
44.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.31 ¥15.37
-0.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.24 ¥8.26
39.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.45 ¥9.65
28.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$1.70 ¥11.32
52.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.03 ¥6.83
76.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.18 ¥7.82
66.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.77 ¥5.15
90.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.72 ¥4.80
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$3.86 ¥25.63
70.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$10.57 ¥70.2
-46.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.02 ¥6.80
33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.98 ¥13.18
8.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.29 ¥1.92
703.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$19.14 ¥127
133.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.76 ¥11.71
118.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.43 ¥2.88
148.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$6.92 ¥45.96
137.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.32 ¥8.80
66.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$19.2K ¥127.4K
78.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$17.8K ¥118.0K
118.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$60.3 ¥401
167.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$16.38 ¥109
12.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$14.48 ¥96.2
126.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$42.84 ¥285
3.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$16.23 ¥108
17.68%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$6.73 ¥44.74
42.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$435 ¥2,888
53.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$24.1K ¥160.5K
-27.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$49.51 ¥329
106.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$41.10 ¥273
8.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$82.5 ¥548
19.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$68.9 ¥458
79.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$291 ¥1,936
451.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$181 ¥1,202
557.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$612 ¥4,065
359.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$317 ¥2,106
535.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$3,407 ¥22.6K
130.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$1,804 ¥12.0K
153.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Heyuan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,335 ¥8,873
17.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.38
13.91%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Heyuan: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Heyuan
$181 84.8% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Heyuan
$242 11.3% $31
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Heyuan
$92 62% $150
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Heyuan
$91 57.1% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Heyuan
$109 34.3% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Heyuan
$56 11.7% $7.4
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Heyuan
$24 61.7% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $291 in Heyuan. 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 18% 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 $62 in Lisbon versus $30 in Heyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $242 – making Heyuan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇳 Heyuan
🕒 Local time
08:00 8:00 AM
16:00 4:00 PM
8 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
2,953,019
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 6.64 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.42 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Heyuan 10,940 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Heyuan

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 Heyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lisbon and in Heyuan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $795 in Heyuan – Heyuan comes out roughly 64% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Heyuan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,193 in Heyuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lisbon and Heyuan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Heyuan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $291 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Lisbon, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $30 in Heyuan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Heyuan, where all-in costs run around $795, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Heyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Lisbon or Heyuan?
Families tend to lean toward Heyuan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Heyuan?
If budget matters most, go with Heyuan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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