Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Pohang Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Pohang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,342 in Pohang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,006 in Pohang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,670 in Pohang.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 71% more expensive than in Pohang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Pohang 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$5.06 ₩7,471

219.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$18.25 ₩26.9K

247.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$6.19 ₩9,133

66.72%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.87 ₩4,237

-1.39%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.48 ₩2,190

54.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.48 ₩708

229.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.62 ₩5,345

-6.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$3.64 ₩5,370

10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.80 ₩2,657

-39.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.16 ₩4,660

-44.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.61 ₩3,848

-32.57%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.99 ₩4,408

6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$10.33 ₩15.2K

27.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$6.56 ₩9,672

21.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$27.64 ₩40.8K

-43.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.19 ₩3,228

8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$3.22 ₩4,755

-46.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$7.26 ₩10.7K

-72.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.50 ₩3,684

-2.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$4.79 ₩7,061

-63.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.94 ₩4,334

-30.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.04 ₩3,016

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.16 ₩1,716

-26.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.25 ₩4,791

102.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$5.77 ₩8,515

-3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.50 ₩2,206

-11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.45 ₩5,085

-13.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.06 ₩1,562

115.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.44 ₩3,600

73.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.85 ₩1,252

-4.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$16.49 ₩24.3K

11.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.20 ₩1,776

73.33%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$27.6K ₩40.8M

25.39%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$25.1K ₩37.1M

55.75%

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

$148 €130

$106 ₩155.8K

40.17%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$51.0 ₩75.3K

-59.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$27.95 ₩41.2K

41.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$29.38 ₩43.3K

63.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$7.13 ₩10.5K

160.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$10.83 ₩16.0K

-14.87%

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

$616 €540

$498 ₩734.1K

23.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$14.2K ₩20.9M

15.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$103 ₩152.0K

-0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$47.32 ₩69.8K

-11.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$87.9 ₩129.7K

7.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$111 ₩163.6K

10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$449 ₩662.3K

263.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$439 ₩647.3K

180.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,047 ₩1.5M

195.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$770 ₩1.1M

163.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$2,676 ₩3.9M

64.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$2,192 ₩3.2M

-26.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.22

-9.72%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Pohang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $449 in Pohang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pohang pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Pohang. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $359, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pohang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Pohang differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,342 including rent). Pohang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Pohang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $449 in Pohang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $1,342 in Pohang – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,342 in Pohang versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pohang but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Pohang 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 Pohang 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 Pohang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.