Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kyoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kyoto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $1,295 in Kyoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $2,158 in Kyoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $3,021 in Kyoto, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 76% more than Kyoto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Kyoto is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$10.46 ¥1,648

50.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$34.88 ¥5,496

82.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$5.58 ¥879

87.28%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.56 ¥562

-18.26%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.91 ¥143

151.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.75 ¥119

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$3.45 ¥543

3.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$6.74 ¥1,061

-41.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.66 ¥262

-34.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.78 ¥280

-1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$3.11 ¥490

-45.34%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.23 ¥352

45.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$9.27 ¥1,460

42.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$7.46 ¥1,175

3.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$15.46 ¥2,436

2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$5.53 ¥871

-58.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.48 ¥391

-33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$6.44 ¥1,015

-68.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$3.85 ¥607

-35.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.65 ¥260

8.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.29 ¥360

-9.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.24 ¥195

58.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.96 ¥152

-13.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$4.22 ¥665

55.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$7.39 ¥1,164

-24.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.71 ¥270

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$3.72 ¥587

-19.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$1.65 ¥261

37.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$68.1 ¥10.7K

-31.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$3.39 ¥533

24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.88 ¥454

-70.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$18.05 ¥2,844

4.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.22 ¥193

65.57%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$23.3K ¥3.7M

49.82%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$16.7K ¥2.6M

137.90%

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

$148 €128

$114 ¥18.0K

29.58%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$26.49 ¥4,174

-22.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$33.95 ¥5,349

16.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$57.0 ¥8,975

-15.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$21.03 ¥3,314

-12.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$12.94 ¥2,040

-29.68%

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

$615 €532

$374 ¥58.9K

64.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$7,364 ¥1.2M

121.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$46.64 ¥7,349

117.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$31.57 ¥4,974

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$73.4 ¥11.6K

25.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$90.8 ¥14.3K

34.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$591 ¥93.1K

172.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$341 ¥53.8K

267.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$1,675 ¥263.9K

83.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$922 ¥145.3K

120.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$1,852 ¥291.8K

-13.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

1.78

114.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kyoto: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $591 in Kyoto. 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 16% higher in Kyoto, 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 $35.00 in Kyoto. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Lisbon vs $312 in Kyoto – 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 Kyoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon, $1,295 in Kyoto – roughly 76% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $1,942 in Kyoto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $35.00 in Kyoto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kyoto, where all-in costs run around $1,295, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Kyoto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,295 in Kyoto to $2,280 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kyoto. 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.