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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $1,280 in Kyoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $2,181 in Kyoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $3,081 in Kyoto, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 77% more than Kyoto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Kyoto is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$10.54 ¥1,685

51.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$34.94 ¥5,589

81.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$5.45 ¥871

90.46%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$3.40 ¥544

-17.94%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.86 ¥137

172.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.79 ¥127

98.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$3.39 ¥543

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$6.54 ¥1,047

-40.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.62 ¥259

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.73 ¥277

2.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$3.18 ¥509

-46.23%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.33 ¥372

35.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$9.43 ¥1,508

45.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$7.84 ¥1,254

2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$15.37 ¥2,458

0.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$5.47 ¥875

-58.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.51 ¥402

-34.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$6.53 ¥1,045

-70.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$3.82 ¥611

-34.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.64 ¥263

9.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.29 ¥366

-12.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.25 ¥201

57.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.94 ¥150

-10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$4.04 ¥646

68.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$7.59 ¥1,214

-25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.77 ¥284

-21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$3.64 ¥582

-17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.65 ¥265

37.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$70.0 ¥11.2K

-35.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$3.55 ¥567

20.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.88 ¥461

-70.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$17.89 ¥2,862

2.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.23 ¥197

61.79%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$23.4K ¥3.7M

50.01%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$17.3K ¥2.8M

129.25%

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

$146 €126

$111 ¥17.8K

31.52%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$26.44 ¥4,229

-22.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$34.33 ¥5,491

13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$58.5 ¥9,359

-16.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$20.85 ¥3,335

-9.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$13.11 ¥2,097

-27.38%

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

$608 €524

$369 ¥59.0K

64.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,257 ¥1.2M

127.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$46.88 ¥7,497

121.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$31.55 ¥5,047

33.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$73.2 ¥11.7K

25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$93.5 ¥14.9K

28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$588 ¥94.1K

175.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$347 ¥55.5K

265.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,633 ¥261.2K

86.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$939 ¥150.2K

113.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,848 ¥295.6K

-14.25%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kyoto: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Lisbon versus $588 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 17% 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 – $269 in Lisbon vs $314 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: $2,263 in Lisbon, $1,280 in Kyoto – roughly 77% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $1,920 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 $1,280, than in Lisbon at $2,263. 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 $1,280 in Kyoto to $2,263 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.