Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhangzhou and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhangzhou and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in Zhangzhou versus $2,258 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,143 in Zhangzhou versus $3,328 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,573 in Zhangzhou versus $4,397 in Lisbon.

Living in Zhangzhou costs roughly 68% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zhangzhou is 47% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.85 ยฅ19.49
$15.82 โ‚ฌ13.46
-81.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.93 ยฅ150
$64.4 โ‚ฌ54.8
-65.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.99 ยฅ34.10
$10.37 โ‚ฌ8.82
-51.88%
Cappuccino
$3.08 ยฅ21.02
$2.89 โ‚ฌ2.46
6.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ยฅ3.21
$2.23 โ‚ฌ1.90
-78.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ยฅ1.99
$1.55 โ‚ฌ1.32
-81.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.87 ยฅ5.94
$3.38 โ‚ฌ2.88
-74.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 ยฅ14.67
$3.90 โ‚ฌ3.32
-44.87%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 ยฅ12.38
$1.12 โ‚ฌ0.96
61.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 ยฅ10.87
$1.80 โ‚ฌ1.53
-11.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.95 ยฅ6.47
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.49
-45.71%
Eggs
$1.59 ยฅ10.85
$3.17 โ‚ฌ2.70
-49.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.72 ยฅ86.9
$13.50 โ‚ฌ11.49
-5.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.23 ยฅ22.06
$7.79 โ‚ฌ6.63
-58.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.41 ยฅ71.1
$15.65 โ‚ฌ13.32
-33.48%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ยฅ12.68
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.94
-18.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 ยฅ8.64
$1.71 โ‚ฌ1.46
-25.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.48 ยฅ10.12
$1.93 โ‚ฌ1.65
-23.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.14 ยฅ7.78
$2.52 โ‚ฌ2.15
-54.76%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ยฅ4.72
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.52
-61.45%
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 ยฅ6.65
$2.05 โ‚ฌ1.74
-52.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 ยฅ3.78
$1.94 โ‚ฌ1.65
-71.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ยฅ3.76
$0.81 โ‚ฌ0.69
-32.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.10 ยฅ21.17
$6.65 โ‚ฌ5.66
-53.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.77 ยฅ73.5
$5.79 โ‚ฌ4.92
86.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 ยฅ5.04
$1.33 โ‚ฌ1.14
-44.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 ยฅ10.81
$2.91 โ‚ฌ2.47
-45.70%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ยฅ2.00
$2.35 โ‚ฌ2.00
-87.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.96 ยฅ116
$45.70 โ‚ฌ38.89
-62.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ยฅ9.22
$4.20 โ‚ฌ3.58
-67.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ยฅ2.22
$0.81 โ‚ฌ0.69
-59.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.71 ยฅ45.86
$18.70 โ‚ฌ15.91
-64.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 ยฅ7.96
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.78
-44.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4K ยฅ132.2K
$34.6K โ‚ฌ29.5K
-44.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.3K ยฅ117.8K
$39.7K โ‚ฌ33.7K
-56.49%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.62 ยฅ312
$146 โ‚ฌ124
-68.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.69 ยฅ66.2
$20.84 โ‚ฌ17.73
-53.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.87 ยฅ81.1
$39.78 โ‚ฌ33.85
-70.16%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.38 ยฅ283
$48.58 โ‚ฌ41.35
-14.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.90 ยฅ94.9
$18.85 โ‚ฌ16.04
-26.26%
Cinema Ticket
$5.76 ยฅ39.36
$9.07 โ‚ฌ7.72
-36.49%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$337 ยฅ2,300
$618 โ‚ฌ526
-45.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K ยฅ116.2K
$16.2K โ‚ฌ13.8K
5.31%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.28 ยฅ296
$105 โ‚ฌ89.0
-58.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.84 ยฅ204
$40.54 โ‚ฌ34.50
-26.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.1 ยฅ492
$93.8 โ‚ฌ79.8
-23.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ยฅ491
$123 โ‚ฌ104
-41.35%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$275 ยฅ1,881
$1,604 โ‚ฌ1,365
-82.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$194 ยฅ1,328
$1,260 โ‚ฌ1,073
-84.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$598 ยฅ4,087
$3,065 โ‚ฌ2,608
-80.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$353 ยฅ2,414
$2,008 โ‚ฌ1,709
-82.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,044 ยฅ20.8K
$7,702 โ‚ฌ6,555
-60.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,003 ยฅ13.7K
$4,367 โ‚ฌ3,716
-54.13%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Zhangzhou
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,638 โ‚ฌ1,394
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.89
3.81
2.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Zhangzhou: April 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $275 in Zhangzhou and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22 in Zhangzhou vs $64 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $268 per month, with Zhangzhou 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
Zhangzhou vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Zhangzhou and Lisbon?
Zhangzhou and Lisbon differ by about 217% in total monthly costs ($713 vs $2,258 including rent). Zhangzhou is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Zhangzhou compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $1,069 in Zhangzhou and $3,387 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Zhangzhou and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $275 in Zhangzhou versus $1,604 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 Zhangzhou and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $337 in Zhangzhou versus $618 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 35% 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 $713 in Zhangzhou versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhangzhou but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zhangzhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Zhangzhou and Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Zhangzhou or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Zhangzhou 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: Zhangzhou or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Zhangzhou gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 217% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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