Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Suwon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Suwon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,393 in Suwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,096 in Suwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,798 in Suwon.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 60% more expensive than Suwon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Suwon 4% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.17 โ‚ฌ13.79
$7.44 โ‚ฉ11.0K
117.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.6 โ‚ฌ55.1
$29.14 โ‚ฉ42.9K
121.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.38 โ‚ฌ8.85
$5.07 โ‚ฉ7,472
104.73%
Cappuccino
$2.77 โ‚ฌ2.37
$3.55 โ‚ฉ5,225
-21.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 โ‚ฌ1.92
$1.54 โ‚ฉ2,274
46.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 โ‚ฌ1.34
$0.68 โ‚ฉ1,006
130.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.49 โ‚ฌ2.98
$3.73 โ‚ฉ5,497
-6.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.00 โ‚ฌ3.42
$4.34 โ‚ฉ6,391
-7.83%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 โ‚ฌ0.92
$2.16 โ‚ฉ3,190
-50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.74 โ‚ฌ1.48
$2.26 โ‚ฉ3,333
-23.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 โ‚ฌ1.48
$3.21 โ‚ฉ4,734
-45.79%
Eggs
$3.18 โ‚ฌ2.71
$2.41 โ‚ฉ3,546
31.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.43 โ‚ฌ11.46
$10.82 โ‚ฉ15.9K
24.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.99 โ‚ฌ6.82
$10.73 โ‚ฉ15.8K
-25.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.09 โ‚ฌ13.73
$12.05 โ‚ฉ17.8K
33.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.95
$5.53 โ‚ฉ8,154
-58.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 โ‚ฌ1.47
$2.78 โ‚ฉ4,089
-38.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 โ‚ฌ1.66
$5.23 โ‚ฉ7,702
-62.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 โ‚ฌ2.17
$2.56 โ‚ฉ3,767
-0.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 โ‚ฌ1.56
$4.01 โ‚ฉ5,915
-54.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.04 โ‚ฌ1.74
$2.24 โ‚ฉ3,295
-8.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.98 โ‚ฌ1.69
$2.59 โ‚ฉ3,811
-23.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 โ‚ฌ0.73
$0.90 โ‚ฉ1,320
-5.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.85 โ‚ฌ5.85
$3.25 โ‚ฉ4,785
110.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.78 โ‚ฌ4.93
$12.41 โ‚ฉ18.3K
-53.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 โ‚ฌ1.17
$2.04 โ‚ฉ3,009
-32.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 โ‚ฌ2.47
$2.16 โ‚ฉ3,183
34.26%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.95
$1.21 โ‚ฉ1,782
88.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.84 โ‚ฌ39.96
$47.80 โ‚ฉ70.4K
-2.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.08 โ‚ฌ3.48
$2.73 โ‚ฉ4,015
49.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 โ‚ฌ0.70
$0.56 โ‚ฉ828
46.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.27 โ‚ฌ15.58
$8.57 โ‚ฉ12.6K
113.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 โ‚ฌ1.71
$1.25 โ‚ฉ1,835
60.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K โ‚ฌ30.1K
$28.2K โ‚ฉ41.5M
25.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K โ‚ฌ32.8K
$13.9K โ‚ฉ20.4M
177.54%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$145 โ‚ฌ124
$165 โ‚ฉ242.5K
-11.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.96 โ‚ฌ17.88
$34.89 โ‚ฉ51.4K
-39.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.05 โ‚ฌ34.17
$21.97 โ‚ฉ32.4K
82.29%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.79 โ‚ฌ41.61
$45.83 โ‚ฉ67.5K
6.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69 โ‚ฌ15.95
$14.48 โ‚ฉ21.3K
29.07%
Cinema Ticket
$9.06 โ‚ฌ7.73
$11.22 โ‚ฉ16.5K
-19.25%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$607 โ‚ฌ517
$420 โ‚ฉ619.1K
44.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K โ‚ฌ13.9K
$23.5K โ‚ฉ34.6M
-30.54%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 โ‚ฌ89.3
$34.24 โ‚ฉ50.4K
205.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.95 โ‚ฌ34.93
$48.28 โ‚ฉ71.1K
-15.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.6 โ‚ฌ79.8
$79.4 โ‚ฉ116.9K
17.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 โ‚ฌ101
$26.84 โ‚ฉ39.5K
341.69%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,604 โ‚ฌ1,368
$444 โ‚ฉ654.8K
260.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,236 โ‚ฌ1,054
$445 โ‚ฉ655.9K
177.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,046 โ‚ฌ2,598
$916 โ‚ฉ1.4M
232.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,057 โ‚ฌ1,754
$867 โ‚ฉ1.3M
137.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,709 โ‚ฌ6,576
$10.8K โ‚ฉ16.0M
-28.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,266 โ‚ฌ3,639
$6,590 โ‚ฉ9.7M
-35.26%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Suwon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,584 โ‚ฌ1,351
$2,276 โ‚ฉ3.4M
-30.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
4.14
-7.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Suwon: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $444 in Suwon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Suwon pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65 in Lisbon vs $29 in Suwon. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $344, 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 Suwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and Suwon?
Lisbon and Suwon differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,393 including rent). Suwon is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Suwon earns 44% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and Suwon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $444 in Suwon. 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 Suwon?
Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $420 in Suwon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,393 in Suwon versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Suwon but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Suwon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Suwon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Suwon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Suwon 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 Suwon?
Expats usually find Suwon gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 60% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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