Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Xianyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Xianyang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $471 in Xianyang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $748 in Xianyang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,025 in Xianyang.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 392% more expensive than in Xianyang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Xianyang is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$2.26 ¥15.15

665.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$16.86 ¥113

275.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$4.55 ¥30.49

150.33%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.15 ¥14.41

48.37%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.36 ¥2.40

580.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.29 ¥1.96

506.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$0.75 ¥5.04

378.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.45 ¥9.72

133.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.42 ¥9.51

-12.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.06 ¥7.07

86.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.72 ¥4.79

111.11%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.48 ¥9.88

172.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$9.63 ¥64.6

40.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$1.83 ¥12.27

358.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$7.25 ¥48.55

151.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.18 ¥7.87

94.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.07 ¥7.17

62.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.22 ¥8.19

52.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.62 ¥4.15

324.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.47 ¥3.12

308.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.61 ¥4.10

242.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.53 ¥3.58

171.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.60 ¥4.00

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.94 ¥19.69

130.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$7.47 ¥50.1

-23.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.44 ¥2.93

213.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.70 ¥11.37

30.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.29 ¥1.94

727.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.24 ¥8.29

236.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.29 ¥1.92

293.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$4.55 ¥30.51

288.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.26 ¥8.42

84.13%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$19.2K ¥129.0K

83.59%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$11.9K ¥79.5K

249.37%

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

$170 €147

$36.18 ¥242

370.78%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$6.32 ¥42.35

206.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$10.59 ¥71.0

217.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$21.01 ¥141

128.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$2.60 ¥17.43

665.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$5.58 ¥37.41

77.78%

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

$717 €617

$335 ¥2,243

114.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$15.1K ¥101.0K

15.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$38.55 ¥258

171.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$37.94 ¥254

23.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$75.6 ¥507

36.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$59.5 ¥399

108.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$117 ¥786

1328.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$75.1 ¥504

1591.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$223 ¥1,497

1236.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$147 ¥983

1258.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$1,322 ¥8,861

491.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$741 ¥4,968

528.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$595 ¥3,986

166.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.35

13.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Xianyang: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $117 in Xianyang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 166% 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 $17.00 in Xianyang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $146 per month, with Xianyang 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 Xianyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Xianyang differ by about 392% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $471 including rent). Xianyang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 166% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $117 in Xianyang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $471 in Xianyang – a 392% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $471 in Xianyang versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Xianyang but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Xianyang 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 Xianyang 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 Xianyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 392% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.