Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Icheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Icheon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $1,596 in Icheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $2,054 in Icheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $2,511 in Icheon, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 44% more than Icheon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Icheon sit above the global median – Lisbon by 68%, Icheon by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$6.43 ₩8,863

173.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$49.06 ₩67.6K

28.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$6.69 ₩9,216

73.09%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.76 ₩5,188

-17.55%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.27 ₩1,745

96.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.17 ₩1,613

48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$3.65 ₩5,036

-4.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.20 ₩5,788

-18.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.23 ₩3,068

-48.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.22 ₩4,438

-40.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$3.07 ₩4,226

-51.14%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.68 ₩3,688

48.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$10.76 ₩14.8K

23.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.52 ₩14.5K

-23.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$24.59 ₩33.9K

-26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$11.22 ₩15.5K

-79.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.72 ₩5,130

-52.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$8.26 ₩11.4K

-77.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.77 ₩7,947

-55.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$6.08 ₩8,379

-69.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.25 ₩4,473

-35.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.82 ₩3,891

-47.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.33 ₩1,840

-38.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.41 ₩4,696

108.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$18.72 ₩25.8K

-68.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.47 ₩3,405

-46.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.41 ₩4,699

-37.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.12 ₩1,546

110.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.64 ₩5,020

12.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.77 ₩1,062

48.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$16.57 ₩22.8K

3.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.39 ₩1,919

66.19%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$29.3K ₩40.4M

16.45%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$33.8K ₩46.6M

22.42%

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

$169 €147

$200 ₩275.1K

-15.55%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$36.63 ₩50.5K

-47.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$26.69 ₩36.8K

25.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$22.02 ₩30.3K

121.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$11.23 ₩15.5K

-14.78%

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

$696 €607

$619 ₩852.9K

12.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$21.4K ₩29.4M

-18.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$105 ₩145.0K

0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$65.1 ₩89.8K

-26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$93.6 ₩129.0K

7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$126 ₩173.0K

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$741 ₩1.0M

124.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$452 ₩622.6K

175.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$2,290 ₩3.2M

-28.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.9

-3.08%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Icheon: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $741 in Icheon. 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 40% higher in Icheon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $49.00 in Icheon. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Lisbon vs $485 in Icheon – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Icheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $2,395 in Icheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Icheon, 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 $49.00 in Icheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 75% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Icheon, where all-in costs run around $1,596, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Icheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Icheon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Icheon. 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.