Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zhenjiang Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zhenjiang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $589 in Zhenjiang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,000 in Zhenjiang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,410 in Zhenjiang.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 275% more expensive than Zhenjiang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Zhenjiang is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$2.85 ¥19.30

458.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$26.62 ¥180

143.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$4.98 ¥33.71

111.04%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.11 ¥14.28

36.02%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.29 ¥1.97

672.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.22 ¥1.49

581.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.07 ¥7.22

226.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.71 ¥11.57

126.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.71 ¥11.55

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.37 ¥9.26

27.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.81 ¥5.51

117.28%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.78 ¥12.05

80.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$5.43 ¥36.78

148.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$2.69 ¥18.20

194.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$9.83 ¥66.6

61.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.64 ¥11.07

40.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.65 ¥11.19

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.64 ¥11.07

22.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.26 ¥8.55

95.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.76 ¥5.17

142.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.98 ¥6.65

104.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.43 ¥2.94

348.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.27 ¥1.83

192.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$4.22 ¥28.55

56.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$11.78 ¥79.7

-51.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.75 ¥5.11

82.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.42 ¥9.64

109.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.27 ¥1.81

777.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$6.99 ¥47.32

551.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.26 ¥8.55

240.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.40 ¥2.71

105.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$4.25 ¥28.74

330.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.17 ¥7.91

76.07%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$17.0K ¥115.2K

101.39%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$17.0K ¥114.9K

131.54%

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

$148 €127

$44.52 ¥301

232.14%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$11.32 ¥76.6

81.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$11.91 ¥80.6

232.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$42.06 ¥285

13.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$27.47 ¥186

-31.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$6.10 ¥41.27

50.49%

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

$614 €529

$411 ¥2,785

49.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$17.0K ¥115.0K

-5.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$42.42 ¥287

146.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$27.78 ¥188

51.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$41.16 ¥279

128.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$41.95 ¥284

185.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$211 ¥1,427

671.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$138 ¥931

812.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$480 ¥3,249

531.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$347 ¥2,346

482.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$2,003 ¥13.6K

289.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$876 ¥5,928

387.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$962 ¥6,513

66.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.83

-0.52%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zhenjiang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $211 in Zhenjiang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 67% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $27.00 in Zhenjiang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $171 per month, with Zhenjiang 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 Zhenjiang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zhenjiang differ by about 275% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $589 including rent). Zhenjiang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 67% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $211 in Zhenjiang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $411 in Zhenjiang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $589 in Zhenjiang versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhenjiang but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zhenjiang 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 Zhenjiang 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 Zhenjiang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 275% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.