For one person, living is cheaper in Wuxi: $759 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wuxi and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $759 in Wuxi versus $2,223 in Lisbon.
Wuxi $759
Lisbon $2,223
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,192 in Wuxi versus $3,271 in Lisbon.
Wuxi $1,192
Lisbon $3,271
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,625 in Wuxi versus $4,319 in Lisbon.
Wuxi $1,625
Lisbon $4,319
🌍
Living in Wuxi costs roughly 66% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Wuxi is 44% below, Lisbon is 65% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.82¥25.53
$16.50€14.67
-76.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.45¥157
$61.3€54.5
-61.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.43¥29.61
$11.27€10.03
-60.69%
Cappuccino
$3.15¥21.07
$3.06€2.72
2.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48¥3.24
$2.26€2.01
-78.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30¥1.98
$1.73€1.54
-82.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.46¥9.78
$3.39€3.02
-56.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04¥20.30
$3.40€3.02
-10.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.80¥12.01
$1.12€1.00
60.71%
White Bread(500g)
$2.14¥14.30
$1.86€1.65
15.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.10¥7.35
$1.53€1.36
-28.10%
Eggs
$1.91¥12.80
$3.96€3.53
-51.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.66¥91.4
$12.76€11.35
7.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.34¥22.33
$7.90€7.02
-57.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.97¥73.4
$16.97€15.09
-35.36%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65¥17.74
$2.27€2.02
16.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.27¥8.47
$1.75€1.55
-27.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.67¥11.14
$1.85€1.64
-9.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.22¥8.15
$2.57€2.28
-52.53%
Potato(1kg)
$0.63¥4.20
$1.86€1.65
-66.13%
Onion(1kg)
$0.86¥5.76
$2.02€1.80
-57.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.60¥3.98
$1.44€1.28
-58.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55¥3.66
$0.82€0.73
-32.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.26¥35.17
$6.56€5.83
-19.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.93¥79.8
$5.62€5.00
112.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92¥6.18
$1.28€1.14
-28.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23¥14.88
$2.07€1.84
7.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.43¥2.90
$2.35€2.09
-81.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.97¥127
$44.18€39.30
-57.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.51¥10.11
$3.99€3.55
-62.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.42¥2.84
$1.09€0.97
-61.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.18¥61.4
$16.64€14.81
-44.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31¥8.76
$2.28€2.03
-42.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K¥131.5K
$33.7K€30.0K
-41.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.7K¥125.3K
$39.3K€35.0K
-52.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$37.01¥247
$167€149
-77.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.64¥77.8
$18.80€16.72
-38.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.68¥185
$33.09€29.43
-16.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.49¥311
$46.01€40.93
1.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.01¥46.85
$19.19€17.07
-63.47%
Cinema Ticket
$5.85¥39.11
$9.84€8.75
-40.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$445¥2,973
$677€602
-34.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.3K¥108.9K
$16.9K€15.1K
-3.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.43¥237
$101€90.1
-65.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.69¥145
$45.76€40.70
-52.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$63.7¥426
$100.0€88.9
-36.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.58¥298
$123€109
-63.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$334¥2,235
$1,614€1,436
-79.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$206¥1,379
$1,197€1,065
-82.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$572¥3,826
$2,862€2,545
-80.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$378¥2,526
$1,990€1,770
-81.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,595¥24.0K
$7,577€6,740
-52.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,967¥13.1K
$4,307€3,831
-54.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wuxi
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,089¥7,283
$1,588€1,412
-31.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.13
3.85
-18.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Wuxi: October 11, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Wuxi
$221 29.1%
Lisbon
$269 12.1% ↑ 21.8%$48
🏠Accommodation & Living
Wuxi
$206 27.2%
Lisbon
$1.2K 53.9% ↑ 480%$991
🍽Eating Out
Wuxi
$98 12.9%
Lisbon
$242 10.9% ↑ 147%$144
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wuxi
$76 10.1%
Lisbon
$219 9.9% ↑ 187%$143
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Wuxi
$74 9.8%
Lisbon
$166 7.5% ↑ 124%$92
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Wuxi
$58 7.7%
Lisbon
$66 3% ↑ 12.9%$7.5
🚌Getting Around
Wuxi
$24 3.2%
Lisbon
$63 2.8% ↑ 159%$39
🛒Groceries & Markets
Wuxi
$509 31.3%
Lisbon
$642 14.9% ↑ 26.1%$133
🏠Accommodation & Living
Wuxi
$378 23.2%
Lisbon
$2K 46.1% ↑ 427%$1.6K
🍽Eating Out
Wuxi
$312 19.2%
Lisbon
$798 18.5% ↑ 155%$485
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wuxi
$88 5.4%
Lisbon
$238 5.5% ↑ 171%$150
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Wuxi
$165 10.2%
Lisbon
$370 8.6% ↑ 124%$204
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Wuxi
$123 7.6%
Lisbon
$151 3.5% ↑ 22%$27
🚌Getting Around
Wuxi
$50 3.1%
Lisbon
$131 3% ↑ 164%$81
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $334 in Wuxi and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lisbon pays 46% 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: $23.00 in Wuxi vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $269 per month, with Wuxi cheaper across the board.
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
Wuxi vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Wuxi and in Lisbon?
Wuxi and Lisbon differ by about 193% in total monthly costs ($759 vs $2,223 including rent). Wuxi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Wuxi and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $334 in Wuxi versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Wuxi and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $445 in Wuxi versus $677 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $759 in Wuxi versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wuxi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Wuxi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Wuxi and Lisbon?
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.
Is Wuxi or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Wuxi 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.
Where should expats move: Wuxi or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Wuxi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 193% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.