Lisbon vs Bangkok
The short answer
Bangkok is the cheaper trip, by roughly 48% a day — $40–80 against $80–150 mid-range per person. They want different months: Lisbon is at its best Mar–Jun, Sep–Oct, Bangkok Nov–Feb — which may settle it on its own.
Side by side
Mid-range, per person, in US dollars. Both guides were costed the same way — see how we work these out.
| 🇵🇹 Lisbon | 🇹🇭 Bangkok | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily budgetmid-range, per person | $80–150 | $40–80cheaper |
| Cheap meallocal staple | $11–16 | $1.50–3cheaper |
| Mid-range hotelper night | $85–160 | $50–100cheaper |
| Transit ridesingle trip | $1.90–2.10 | $0.50–1.80cheaper |
| Avg. monthly salarylocal, for context | ≈ $1,750 | ≈ $800 |
When to go
Filled months are the ones each guide recommends; hollow ones it warns off.
What you'd actually do
A few of each guide's picks, one per category before seconds — the full lists are on the guides themselves.
🇵🇹 Lisbon
Seven hills, yellow trams and tiled façades above a river the size of a sea. Western Europe's best-value capital, and one of the few where the historic centre is still somewhere people live.
- Jerónimos Monastery$$Landmarks
- Alfama$Neighbourhoods & views
- Pastéis de Belém$Restaurants & food
- Fado in Alfama$$Nightlife & music
- Belém Tower$$Landmarks
🇹🇭 Bangkok
Chaotic, friendly, and outrageously good value. Street food that outclasses most restaurants, a skytrain gliding over legendary traffic, and golden temples around every corner.
- Sky Bar (Lebua State Tower)$$$Nightlife
- Jay Fai$$$Restaurants
- Calypso Cabaret$$Theater & shows
- Teens of Thailand$$Nightlife
- Thipsamai$Restaurants
Practicalities
| Lisbon | Bangkok | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Portuguese. English is widely spoken in the centre and by anyone under about 40 | Thai. English is common in tourist areas, hotels, and malls; sparse elsewhere. |
| Currency | Euro (€) | Thai baht (฿). US$1 ≈ ฿35 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0), WEST (UTC+1) in summer — an hour behind most of Western Europe | ICT (UTC+7) |
| Power | 230V, Type F — the standard two-pin European plug | 220V; outlets take most two-pin plugs (A/C hybrids) |
| Tap water | Safe and perfectly drinkable everywhere | Don't drink it — bottled and filtered water everywhere, often free at hotels |
| Emergency | 112 for everything | 191 police · 1669 ambulance · 1155 tourist police (English) |