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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,343 in Pohang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,635 in Pohang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,927 in Pohang.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Pohang is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$6.11 ₩8,418

187.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$22.23 ₩30.6K

182.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$6.38 ₩8,796

81.50%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.02 ₩4,156

2.65%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.46 ₩2,009

70.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.48 ₩663

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$3.78 ₩5,211

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.76 ₩5,177

-8.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.92 ₩2,640

-40.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.06 ₩4,223

-37.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.61 ₩3,603

-42.53%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.68 ₩3,693

48.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$10.83 ₩14.9K

22.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.75 ₩9,302

18.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$24.99 ₩34.4K

-27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.29 ₩3,150

2.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.69 ₩5,085

-52.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$7.99 ₩11.0K

-76.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.95 ₩4,060

-13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$4.84 ₩6,670

-61.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.23 ₩4,454

-34.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.29 ₩3,151

-34.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.34 ₩1,841

-38.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.31 ₩4,559

114.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$6.65 ₩9,166

-11.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.51 ₩2,080

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.50 ₩4,827

-39.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.29 ₩4,531

24.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.61 ₩837

86.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$16.44 ₩22.7K

3.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.24 ₩1,706

86.29%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$29.7K ₩40.9M

14.98%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$28.8K ₩39.6M

43.84%

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

$169 €147

$100 ₩137.9K

68.48%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$35.70 ₩49.2K

-45.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$27.20 ₩37.5K

23.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$30.05 ₩41.4K

62.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$7.40 ₩10.2K

162.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$10.95 ₩15.1K

-12.60%

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

$696 €607

$624 ₩860.4K

11.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$21.8K ₩30.1M

-20.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$102 ₩140.5K

3.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$65.8 ₩90.6K

-27.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$94.3 ₩130.0K

6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$114 ₩156.5K

9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$446 ₩615.1K

179.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$2,956 ₩4.1M

51.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$2,176 ₩3.0M

-25.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.22

-10.43%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Pohang: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Pohang pays 33% 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 $22.00 in Pohang. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $366, 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 ($2,296 vs $1,343 including rent). Pohang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 33% 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.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,343 in Pohang – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,343 in Pohang versus $2,296 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.