Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kunming, Yunnan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kunming, Yunnan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $828 in Kunming, Yunnan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,268 in Kunming, Yunnan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,708 in Kunming, Yunnan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 167% more expensive than Kunming, Yunnan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Kunming, Yunnan is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.75 ¥18.63

478.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$28.34 ¥192

128.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.86 ¥46.39

53.21%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.11 ¥21.04

-7.72%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.44 ¥2.96

409.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.25 ¥1.68

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.41 ¥9.56

147.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.04 ¥13.77

90.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.01 ¥13.57

-43.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.72 ¥11.61

1.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.34 ¥9.07

31.34%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.78 ¥12.07

80.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.00 ¥47.35

92.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.12 ¥27.88

91.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.01 ¥74.4

44.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.26 ¥8.54

83.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.92 ¥6.20

84.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.38 ¥9.32

45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.09 ¥7.34

125.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.34 ¥2.27

441.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.82 ¥5.55

143.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.52 ¥10.26

26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.57 ¥3.88

38.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.04 ¥13.80

224.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$6.53 ¥44.18

-12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.72 ¥4.87

90.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.51 ¥10.21

96.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.64 ¥4.34

270.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$34.21 ¥231

33.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.09 ¥7.35

293.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.28 ¥1.90

192.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$13.66 ¥92.4

33.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.12 ¥7.57

83.93%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$20.4K ¥137.8K

68.20%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$17.5K ¥118.4K

124.45%

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

$148 €127

$51.7 ¥350

185.90%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$15.25 ¥103

34.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$16.27 ¥110

143.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$68.6 ¥464

-30.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$26.45 ¥179

-28.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.46 ¥43.65

42.11%

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

$614 €528

$426 ¥2,881

44.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$13.0K ¥87.6K

23.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$71.0 ¥480

47.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$33.49 ¥226

25.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$63.6 ¥430

47.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$105 ¥710

14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$279 ¥1,889

482.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$206 ¥1,396

508.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$515 ¥3,481

488.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$353 ¥2,385

472.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$3,020 ¥20.4K

158.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,303 ¥8,808

228.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$843 ¥5,703

90.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.45

-14.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kunming, Yunnan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $279 in Kunming, Yunnan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 90% 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 $28.00 in Kunming, Yunnan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $182 per month, with Kunming, Yunnan 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 Kunming, Yunnan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kunming, Yunnan wins on cost – living expenses run 167% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kunming, Yunnan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lisbon pays 90% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $279 in Kunming, Yunnan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kunming, Yunnan – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $828 in Kunming, Yunnan – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $828 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kunming, Yunnan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kunming, Yunnan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kunming, Yunnan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $828 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kunming, Yunnan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kunming, Yunnan 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 Kunming, Yunnan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.