Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Wuhan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Wuhan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $787 in Wuhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,217 in Wuhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,647 in Wuhan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 187% more expensive than Wuhan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Wuhan is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$2.76 ¥18.63

477.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$20.92 ¥141

202.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$5.44 ¥36.79

90.81%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.15 ¥14.53

29.77%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.42 ¥2.82

457.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.27 ¥1.81

481.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$0.88 ¥5.94

289.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.64 ¥17.85

48.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.75 ¥11.83

-38.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.40 ¥9.44

26.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.92 ¥6.25

85.87%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.41 ¥9.56

123.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$12.30 ¥83.2

11.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$3.58 ¥24.17

123.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$12.32 ¥83.3

25.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.95 ¥13.18

17.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.08 ¥7.29

51.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.19 ¥8.03

63.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$0.96 ¥6.47

161.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.80 ¥5.41

123.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.68 ¥4.57

195.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.51 ¥3.44

286.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.55 ¥3.74

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$3.09 ¥20.87

119.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$11.77 ¥79.6

-51.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.71 ¥4.81

95.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.47 ¥9.92

105.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.54 ¥3.68

320.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$31.02 ¥210

46.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.37 ¥9.25

213.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.25 ¥1.68

240.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$6.41 ¥43.34

185.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.14 ¥7.69

74.56%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$18.1K ¥122.3K

93.75%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$14.5K ¥97.9K

173.10%

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

$146 €126

$82.4 ¥557

77.45%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$7.77 ¥52.6

163.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$12.07 ¥81.6

222.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$37.18 ¥251

31.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$15.30 ¥103

23.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$5.55 ¥37.52

71.53%

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

$608 €524

$322 ¥2,174

89.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,707 ¥52.1K

114.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$52.6 ¥356

97.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$30.97 ¥209

36.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$78.7 ¥532

17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$104 ¥704

15.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$365 ¥2,471

343.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$220 ¥1,489

475.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$738 ¥4,990

313.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$343 ¥2,316

486.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$2,939 ¥19.9K

160.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,504 ¥10.2K

187.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,190 ¥8,046

33.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.17

-8.63%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Wuhan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $365 in Wuhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 33% 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 $21.00 in Wuhan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $201 per month, with Wuhan 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 Wuhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Wuhan differ by about 187% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $787 including rent). Wuhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 33% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $365 in Wuhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $322 in Wuhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $787 in Wuhan versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Wuhan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Wuhan 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 Wuhan 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 Wuhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 187% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.