Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Putian Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Putian

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $524 in Putian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $853 in Putian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,183 in Putian.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 342% more expensive than in Putian, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Putian is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$2.25 ¥15.11

668.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$23.31 ¥156

171.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$5.36 ¥35.89

112.50%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.53 ¥16.98

26.09%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.44 ¥2.92

456.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.31 ¥2.09

467.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$0.76 ¥5.08

372.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.93 ¥19.65

15.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.53 ¥10.24

-18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.26 ¥15.16

-12.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.99 ¥6.65

53.54%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.62 ¥10.85

149.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$11.91 ¥79.8

13.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$2.44 ¥16.35

243.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$12.06 ¥80.8

51.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.61 ¥17.50

-12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.43 ¥9.58

21.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.66 ¥11.14

12.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.02 ¥13.53

30.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.94 ¥6.32

104.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.84 ¥12.33

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.87 ¥5.86

65.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.54 ¥3.60

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$3.05 ¥20.41

122.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$10.96 ¥73.5

-47.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.84 ¥5.64

64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.71 ¥11.48

29.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.72 ¥4.85

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$21.92 ¥147

113.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.46 ¥9.81

185.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.31 ¥2.08

267.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$6.93 ¥46.46

155.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.27 ¥8.52

82.68%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$19.1K ¥127.9K

85.08%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$17.2K ¥115.3K

140.90%

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

$170 €147

$43.23 ¥290

294.01%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$8.56 ¥57.4

125.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$10.20 ¥68.4

229.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$10.15 ¥68.0

-2.27%

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

$717 €617

$481 ¥3,221

49.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$23.9K ¥159.9K

-26.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$39.04 ¥262

168.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$29.01 ¥194

61.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$105 ¥702

-1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$86.9 ¥582

42.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$2,607 ¥17.5K

200.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$1,136 ¥7,615

309.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$477 ¥3,194

232.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.46

9.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Putian: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 232% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $23.00 in Putian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $217 per month, with Putian 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 Putian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Putian differ by about 342% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $524 including rent). Putian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 232% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $481 in Putian. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $524 in Putian versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Putian but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Putian 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 Putian 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 Putian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 342% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.