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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,479 in Songdo-dong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,336 in Songdo-dong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,193 in Songdo-dong.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 53% more expensive than in Songdo-dong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Songdo-dong 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$5.98 ₩8,021

193.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$34.80 ₩46.7K

85.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$6.77 ₩9,078

72.08%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.60 ₩4,830

-9.44%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.58 ₩2,120

57.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.62 ₩834

169.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.02 ₩4,047

14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.42 ₩5,923

-19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.29 ₩3,066

-48.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$3.02 ₩4,049

-35.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.34 ₩3,144

-33.33%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.19 ₩4,275

25.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$15.72 ₩21.1K

-15.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$7.60 ₩10.2K

10.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$11.22 ₩15.0K

62.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.70 ₩4,961

-37.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.94 ₩3,945

-41.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$7.51 ₩10.1K

-74.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$7.01 ₩9,404

-62.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.63 ₩3,522

-27.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.35 ₩3,153

-10.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.09 ₩2,798

-31.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.13 ₩1,510

-29.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.32 ₩4,448

111.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$14.72 ₩19.7K

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.19 ₩2,935

-37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$5.27 ₩7,063

-59.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.87 ₩1,160

173.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$3.63 ₩4,863

15.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.66 ₩886

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.37 ₩1,843

64.23%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$28.9K ₩38.7M

19.37%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$35.7K ₩47.8M

16.73%

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

$171 €147

$214 ₩287.1K

-20.19%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$43.07 ₩57.8K

-55.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$20.86 ₩28.0K

64.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$73.4 ₩98.4K

-32.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$11.05 ₩14.8K

-8.60%

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

$699 €603

$366 ₩490.6K

91.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$17.6K ₩23.6M

1.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$65.5 ₩87.9K

59.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$62.3 ₩83.6K

-23.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$36.54 ₩49.0K

178.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$98.1 ₩131.6K

30.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$448 ₩600.7K

174.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,519 ₩2.0M

91.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,038 ₩1.4M

94.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$3,376 ₩4.5M

-52.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.1

-7.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Songdo-dong: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Songdo-dong pays 109% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Songdo-dong. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $381, 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 53% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,479 including rent). Songdo-dong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 109% 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.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,479 in Songdo-dong – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,479 in Songdo-dong versus $2,268 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 53% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.