Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jiangmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jiangmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $662 in Jiangmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $960 in Jiangmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $1,258 in Jiangmen.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 241% more expensive than Jiangmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Jiangmen is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$3.11 ¥21.26

408.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$16.61 ¥113

287.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$5.00 ¥34.15

107.40%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$2.78 ¥18.98

3.96%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$0.48 ¥3.28

364.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$0.28 ¥1.89

453.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$1.27 ¥8.70

166.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$2.82 ¥19.25

38.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.75 ¥11.95

-36.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$1.51 ¥10.32

19.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$0.90 ¥6.11

94.44%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$1.65 ¥11.28

92.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$7.09 ¥48.41

90.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$3.15 ¥21.49

147.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$9.55 ¥65.2

63.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$1.87 ¥12.80

21.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.26 ¥8.62

35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.07 ¥7.31

80.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$1.20 ¥8.18

110.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$0.58 ¥3.93

208.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$0.83 ¥5.70

146.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$0.37 ¥2.53

424.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.55 ¥3.73

47.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$3.41 ¥23.28

95.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$14.25 ¥97.4

-59.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$0.65 ¥4.42

104.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$1.71 ¥11.69

70.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$0.43 ¥2.96

446.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$16.95 ¥116

169.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$1.41 ¥9.63

197.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.35 ¥2.37

131.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$6.92 ¥47.28

170.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.13 ¥7.71

84.96%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$22.8K ¥155.9K

51.65%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$20.3K ¥138.4K

95.74%

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

$146 €124

$37.70 ¥257

286.87%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$7.79 ¥53.2

167.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$11.44 ¥78.1

247.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$27.46 ¥188

76.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

$4.13 ¥28.22

356.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$6.14 ¥41.95

47.72%

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

$618 €526

$223 ¥1,520

177.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$9,624 ¥65.7K

67.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$21.03 ¥144

397.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$29.84 ¥204

35.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$74.7 ¥510

25.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$37.06 ¥253

230.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$281 ¥1,917

471.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$188 ¥1,284

570.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$419 ¥2,861

631.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$247 ¥1,689

712.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$3,160 ¥21.6K

143.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$1,215 ¥8,296

259.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

$557 ¥3,807

193.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.04

-5.69%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Jiangmen: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $281 in Jiangmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 194% 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: $64 in Lisbon vs $17 in Jiangmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $182 per month, with Jiangmen 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 Jiangmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Jiangmen differ by about 241% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $662 including rent). Jiangmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 194% 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 $281 in Jiangmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,258 per month in Lisbon versus $662 in Jiangmen – a 241% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jiangmen runs roughly 170% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $662 in Jiangmen versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jiangmen but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Jiangmen 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 Jiangmen 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 Jiangmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 241% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.