Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,307 in Pohang versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,611 in Pohang versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,915 in Pohang versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Pohang costs roughly 44% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pohang is 5% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 ₩7,898

$17.30 €14.93

-66.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.80 ₩29.6K

$63.3 €54.6

-65.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 ₩8,957

$11.39 €9.83

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₩3,902

$3.19 €2.75

-10.03%

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

$1.44 ₩1,951

$2.45 €2.11

-41.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩637

$1.76 €1.52

-73.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 ₩4,815

$3.59 €3.10

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ₩4,849

$3.39 €2.93

5.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₩2,559

$1.24 €1.07

51.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₩4,304

$1.98 €1.71

60.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ₩3,378

$1.52 €1.31

63.16%

Eggs

$2.64 ₩3,590

$4.04 €3.49

-34.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.9K

$13.54 €11.68

-19.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 ₩8,817

$8.39 €7.24

-22.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.37 ₩33.1K

$18.25 €15.75

33.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₩2,905

$2.29 €1.98

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 ₩4,741

$1.74 €1.50

100.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.70 ₩10.5K

$1.86 €1.60

313.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,044

$2.63 €2.27

13.31%

Potato (1kg)

$4.90 ₩6,663

$1.92 €1.65

155.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 ₩4,519

$2.09 €1.81

58.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 ₩3,040

$1.44 €1.24

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₩1,761

$0.84 €0.73

54.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₩4,373

$6.78 €5.85

-52.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.42 ₩8,732

$5.71 €4.93

12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₩1,970

$1.38 €1.19

5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₩4,480

$2.22 €1.91

48.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ₩4,596

$4.17 €3.60

-18.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩817

$1.14 €0.98

-47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.22 ₩22.0K

$17.68 €15.26

-8.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,652

$2.32 €2.01

-47.41%

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

$28.8K ₩39.2M

$35.3K €30.5K

-18.36%

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

$27.9K ₩37.9M

$41.4K €35.8K

-32.67%

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

$97.7 ₩132.8K

$170 €147

-42.63%

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

$35.52 ₩48.3K

$19.34 €16.69

83.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.97 ₩35.3K

$33.64 €29.03

-22.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.64 ₩38.9K

$48.10 €41.50

-40.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₩9,785

$19.90 €17.17

-63.82%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 ₩14.8K

$9.92 €8.56

9.58%

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

$612 ₩831.6K

$717 €619

-14.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K ₩29.2M

$17.5K €15.1K

22.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩137.3K

$105 €90.4

-3.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 ₩86.6K

$46.95 €40.51

35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 ₩125.2K

$103 €89.2

-10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩150.6K

$124 €107

-10.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₩616.6K

$1,271 €1,097

-64.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,891 ₩3.9M

$4,658 €4,019

-37.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,242 ₩3.0M

$1,583 €1,366

41.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

3.79

11.35%

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

Last update for Pohang: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Pohang pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Pohang vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $283, 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

Pohang vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pohang and Lisbon differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,307 vs $2,316 including rent). Pohang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Pohang, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,307 per month in Pohang versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,307 in Pohang versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pohang but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Pohang 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, Pohang and Lisbon 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 Pohang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.