Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Pohang: $1,362 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Pohang
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Pohang Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Pohang

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,362

/mo nomad

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,223

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pohang and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pohang and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Pohang versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

Pohang $1,362
Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,682 in Pohang versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

Pohang $1,682
Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,002 in Pohang versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

Pohang $2,002
Lisbon $4,319

Living in Pohang costs roughly 39% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pohang 1% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 ₩7,857

$16.50 €14.67

-64.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.55 ₩30.0K

$61.3 €54.5

-63.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 ₩8,675

$11.27 €10.03

-42.15%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₩4,012

$3.06 €2.72

-1.31%

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

$1.48 ₩1,967

$2.26 €2.01

-34.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₩710

$1.73 €1.54

-69.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,836

$3.39 €3.02

7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ₩5,062

$3.40 €3.02

12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,142

$1.12 €1.00

110.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 ₩4,319

$1.86 €1.65

74.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ₩1,940

$1.53 €1.36

-4.58%

Eggs

$2.73 ₩3,634

$3.96 €3.53

-31.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.6K

$12.76 €11.35

-14.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 ₩13.8K

$7.90 €7.02

31.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.86 ₩33.1K

$16.97 €15.09

46.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,929

$2.27 €2.02

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 ₩4,798

$1.75 €1.55

106.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.5K

$1.85 €1.64

327.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 ₩3,879

$2.57 €2.28

13.62%

Potato (1kg)

$5.00 ₩6,653

$1.86 €1.65

168.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₩4,532

$2.02 €1.80

68.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 ₩3,015

$1.44 €1.28

57.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩1,785

$0.82 €0.73

63.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₩4,407

$6.56 €5.83

-49.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 ₩8,631

$5.62 €5.00

15.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₩2,031

$1.28 €1.14

19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩4,638

$2.07 €1.84

68.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 €39.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 ₩4,388

$3.99 €3.55

-17.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩766

$1.09 €0.97

-46.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.64 ₩22.1K

$16.64 €14.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,647

$2.28 €2.03

-45.61%

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

$29.5K ₩39.2M

$33.7K €30.0K

-12.46%

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

$28.4K ₩37.8M

$39.3K €35.0K

-27.73%

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

$102 ₩136.1K

$167 €149

-38.89%

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

$36.26 ₩48.2K

$18.80 €16.72

92.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.84 ₩35.7K

$33.09 €29.43

-18.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 ₩40.4K

$46.01 €40.93

-33.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 ₩9,884

$19.19 €17.07

-61.28%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 ₩15.1K

$9.84 €8.75

15.65%

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

$637 ₩847.5K

$677 €602

-5.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K ₩29.0M

$16.9K €15.1K

28.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩139.2K

$101 €90.1

3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.3 ₩85.5K

$45.76 €40.70

40.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ₩122.9K

$100.0 €88.9

-7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩147.9K

$123 €109

-9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 €1,436

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₩594.3K

$1,197 €1,065

-62.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 €2,545

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 €1,770

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,577 €6,740

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,990 ₩4.0M

$4,307 €3,831

-30.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,240 ₩3.0M

$1,588 €1,412

41.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

3.85

9.61%

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

Last update for Pohang: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Pohang

$447 32.8%

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.9% 168% $750

Groceries & Markets

Pohang

$386 28.3%

Lisbon

$269 12.1% 30.1% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Pohang

$168 12.3%

Lisbon

$166 7.5% 0.8% $1.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pohang

$165 12.2%

Lisbon

$219 9.9% 32.6% $54

Eating Out

Pohang

$137 10.1%

Lisbon

$242 10.9% 76.9% $105

Sport & Entertainment

Pohang

$53 3.9%

Lisbon

$66 3% 23.6% $13

Getting Around

Pohang

$6.2 * 0.5%

Lisbon

$63 2.8% 919% $57

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Pohang pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Pohang vs $61.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $386 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Pohang

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🕒 Local time

13:16 1:16 PM

05:16 5:16 AM

8 h behind Pohang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

514,869

545,923 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Pohang Lisbon 10,680 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Pohang
Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 63% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $2,223 including rent). Pohang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% 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 43% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Pohang versus $2,223 in Lisbon – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,362 in Pohang versus $2,223 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 63% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.