😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $825 in Songkhla.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,292 in Songkhla.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,759 in Songkhla.
🌍Living in Lisbon is roughly 178% more expensive than in Songkhla, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Songkhla is 38% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.19€14.17
$1.66฿55.8
875.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.3€55.4
$18.66฿628
239.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.32€9.03
$3.44฿116
200.00%
Cappuccino
$2.83€2.48
$1.46฿49.13
93.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29€2.00
$0.63฿21.12
263.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58€1.38
$0.34฿11.57
364.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.40€2.98
$2.18฿73.5
55.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.03€3.52
$3.36฿113
19.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09€0.95
$1.52฿51.1
-28.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75€1.53
$0.89฿29.91
96.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76€1.54
$2.13฿71.8
-17.37%
Eggs
$3.17€2.77
$1.59฿53.4
99.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.19€11.54
$16.03฿540
-17.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.97€6.97
$2.60฿87.5
206.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.53€13.59
$10.66฿359
45.68%
Apples(1kg)
$2.37€2.07
$2.43฿81.7
-2.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71€1.49
$1.74฿58.5
-1.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01€1.76
$1.20฿40.53
67.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.43€2.13
$1.24฿41.79
95.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.76€1.54
$1.52฿51.2
15.79%
Onion(1kg)
$2.03€1.78
$1.74฿58.6
16.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.92€1.68
$1.50฿50.4
28.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85€0.74
$0.94฿31.57
-9.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58€5.76
$4.37฿147
50.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.58€4.88
$13.31฿448
-58.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33€1.17
$1.59฿53.6
-16.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97€2.60
$4.67฿157
-36.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.28€1.99
$0.88฿29.68
159.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.79€40.06
$60.9฿2,050
-24.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.23€3.70
$1.26฿42.47
235.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.81€0.71
$0.77฿25.88
5.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.44€16.13
$9.13฿307
101.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08€1.82
$1.30฿43.81
60.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K€30.3K
$28.2K฿948.4K
23.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K€34.3K
$37.3K฿1.3M
4.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$148€130
$89.9฿3,024
64.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.46€17.90
$12.77฿430
60.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.56€34.61
$18.84฿634
109.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.99€41.99
$49.59฿1,669
-3.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.60€16.27
$1.80฿60.5
933.33%
Cinema Ticket
$9.22€8.07
$5.52฿186
67.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$616€539
$126฿4,226
390.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.4K€14.4K
$9,855฿331.6K
66.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103€89.9
$30.72฿1,034
234.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.74€36.52
$34.35฿1,156
21.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.8€82.9
$99.7฿3,355
-4.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122€107
$21.65฿728
463.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,633€1,428
$278฿9,340
488.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,232€1,078
$183฿6,152
574.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,098€2,711
$604฿20.3K
413.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,031€1,777
$428฿14.4K
374.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,831€6,851
$2,191฿73.7K
257.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,389€3,840
$1,588฿53.4K
176.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Songkhla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,607€1,406
$793฿26.7K
102.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.81
9.33
-59.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026
Last update for Songkhla: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $278 in Songkhla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lisbon pays 103% 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 $19.00 in Songkhla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $235 per month, with Songkhla 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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Songkhla?
Lisbon and Songkhla differ by about 178% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $825 including rent). Songkhla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Songkhla?
Average pay runs 103% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Songkhla?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $278 in Songkhla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Songkhla?
Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $126 in Songkhla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $825 in Songkhla versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Songkhla but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Songkhla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Songkhla?
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.
Is Lisbon or Songkhla safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Songkhla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Songkhla?
Expats usually find Songkhla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.