Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Songdo-dong Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Songdo-dong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,416 in Songdo-dong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,268 in Songdo-dong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,120 in Songdo-dong.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 62% more expensive than in Songdo-dong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Songdo-dong 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$7.20 ₩10.7K

124.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$55.3 ₩82.3K

14.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$6.23 ₩9,271

65.65%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.75 ₩5,582

-24.53%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.12 ₩1,668

104.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.75 ₩1,115

110.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.98 ₩4,441

14.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$5.74 ₩8,545

-29.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$2.22 ₩3,308

-50.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.30 ₩4,911

-46.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.23 ₩4,809

-45.51%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.10 ₩4,617

2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$14.47 ₩21.5K

-8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$8.05 ₩12.0K

-0.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$34.72 ₩51.7K

-55.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.72 ₩5,531

-36.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.97 ₩4,419

-42.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$5.52 ₩8,210

-63.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$6.41 ₩9,534

-62.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.59 ₩3,859

-32.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.60 ₩3,870

-21.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.61 ₩3,882

-26.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.20 ₩1,786

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.25 ₩4,838

102.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$13.60 ₩20.2K

-58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.25 ₩3,352

-40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.23 ₩4,808

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.92 ₩1,366

147.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.62 ₩5,390

16.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.52 ₩779

55.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$8.57 ₩12.8K

115.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.20 ₩1,783

73.33%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$28.3K ₩42.1M

22.66%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$25.5K ₩37.9M

53.78%

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

$148 €130

$163 ₩242.1K

-9.03%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$34.17 ₩50.8K

-40.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$22.27 ₩33.1K

77.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$74.8 ₩111.3K

-35.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$11.15 ₩16.6K

-17.31%

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

$616 €539

$373 ₩555.1K

65.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$23.4K ₩34.9M

-29.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$58.0 ₩86.3K

77.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$47.70 ₩71.0K

-12.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$36.03 ₩53.6K

163.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$115 ₩171.2K

6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$455 ₩676.4K

259.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$378 ₩562.2K

226.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$1,104 ₩1.6M

180.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$765 ₩1.1M

165.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$3,075 ₩4.6M

-47.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.14

-7.97%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Songdo-dong: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $455 in Songdo-dong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songdo-dong pays 91% 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 $55.0 in Songdo-dong. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $442, 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 Songdo-dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Songdo-dong differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,416 including rent). Songdo-dong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Songdo-dong. 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 $455 in Songdo-dong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 65% 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 $1,416 in Songdo-dong – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,416 in Songdo-dong versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Songdo-dong but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Songdo-dong 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 Songdo-dong 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 Songdo-dong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.