Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Yiwu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Yiwu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $539 in Yiwu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,281 in Yiwu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,023 in Yiwu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 326% more expensive than in Yiwu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Yiwu is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.24

$2.76 ¥18.47

537.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.5

$30.08 ¥202

108.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.04

$5.32 ¥35.65

117.67%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.69

$3.28 ¥21.96

-5.49%

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

$2.49 €2.16

$0.56 ¥3.76

344.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$0.39 ¥2.59

346.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.02

$1.21 ¥8.09

187.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$2.70 ¥18.11

27.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.91 ¥12.77

-39.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.91 ¥12.82

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.02 ¥6.86

47.06%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$1.57 ¥10.51

153.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.52

$17.56 ¥118

-24.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$3.30 ¥22.08

142.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.64

$13.41 ¥89.9

34.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.09 ¥13.98

12.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.82 ¥12.17

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.99 ¥13.31

-7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$1.63 ¥10.89

56.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.77 ¥5.13

138.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$0.98 ¥6.58

114.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.62 ¥4.15

140.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.65 ¥4.37

26.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

$3.82 ¥25.62

85.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.12

$10.23 ¥68.6

-42.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$0.94 ¥6.32

39.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.64 ¥11.01

29.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

$0.43 ¥2.87

448.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.40

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$1.37 ¥9.15

197.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.46 ¥3.11

147.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.81

$8.87 ¥59.4

92.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.22 ¥8.20

89.34%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$19.6K ¥131.6K

73.78%

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

$41.4K €35.9K

$18.3K ¥122.4K

126.48%

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

$169 €146

$58.6 ¥393

187.63%

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

$19.33 €16.75

$8.68 ¥58.2

122.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.04

$10.04 ¥67.3

233.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.32

$14.92 ¥100.0

227.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.84

$11.14 ¥74.6

74.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.29

$7.14 ¥47.84

34.03%

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

$696 €603

$1,377 ¥9,227

-49.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$28.2K ¥188.8K

-38.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.3

$50.6 ¥339

108.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.38

$37.11 ¥249

28.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.1

$75.9 ¥508

32.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$74.6 ¥500

66.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,440

$448 ¥3,003

270.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,569

$1,045 ¥7,005

183.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,775

$734 ¥4,918

179.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,789

$11.8K ¥79.0K

-33.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,869

$2,928 ¥19.6K

52.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,414

$584 ¥3,916

179.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.38

11.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Yiwu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $448 in Yiwu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 179% 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 $30.00 in Yiwu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $238 per month, with Yiwu 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 Yiwu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Yiwu differ by about 326% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $539 including rent). Yiwu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 179% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $448 in Yiwu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $539 in Yiwu – a 326% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $539 in Yiwu versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yiwu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Yiwu 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 Yiwu 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 Yiwu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 326% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.