Cost of Living Comparison Between Brainerd, MN and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Brainerd, MN and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,417 in Brainerd, MN versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,406 in Brainerd, MN versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,395 in Brainerd, MN versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Brainerd, MN is roughly 4% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brainerd, MN 76% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.71 $14.71

$17.30 €14.87

-14.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.85 $37.85

$63.3 €54.4

-40.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$11.39 €9.79

-1.93%

Cappuccino

$1.85 $1.85

$3.19 €2.74

-42.01%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$2.45 €2.10

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.76 €1.52

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.59 €3.09

71.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$3.39 €2.92

71.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.24 €1.06

-26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.98 €1.71

67.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$1.52 €1.31

327.63%

Eggs

$2.43 $2.43

$4.04 €3.47

-39.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$13.54 €11.64

-24.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 $8.45

$8.39 €7.21

0.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$18.25 €15.69

-32.93%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.29 €1.97

164.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.74 €1.50

6.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$1.86 €1.60

260.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.63 €2.26

93.54%

Potato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.92 €1.65

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.09 €1.80

78.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.44 €1.24

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.84 €0.72

220.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$6.78 €5.83

75.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

$5.71 €4.91

109.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.38 €1.18

102.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.22 €1.91

97.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.40 €2.06

-15.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.52 $39.52

$46.78 €40.22

-15.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.17 €3.59

-29.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.14 €0.98

38.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 $23.58

$17.68 €15.20

33.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.32 €2.00

-60.34%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$35.3K €30.4K

0.55%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$41.4K €35.6K

-37.48%

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

$156 $156

$170 €146

-8.40%

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

$44.48 $44.48

$19.34 €16.62

129.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$33.64 €28.92

80.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 $41.73

$48.10 €41.35

-13.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 $9.14

$9.92 €8.53

-7.86%

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

$1,197 $1,197

$717 €617

66.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.2K $36.2K

$17.5K €15.0K

107.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.21 $40.21

$105 €90.1

-61.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.77 $44.77

$46.95 €40.36

-4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 $61.1

$103 €88.9

-40.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 $64.8

$124 €107

-47.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$1,677 €1,441

-4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$1,271 €1,093

0.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 $2,513

$2,985 €2,566

-15.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 $2,162

$1,992 €1,713

8.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,426 $2,426

$7,826 €6,728

-69.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,345 $2,345

$4,658 €4,004

-49.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

3.79

64.91%

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

Last update for Brainerd, MN: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,599 in Brainerd, MN and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Brainerd, MN vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $390 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

Brainerd, MN vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Brainerd, MN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,626 in Brainerd, MN and $3,474 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,599 in Brainerd, MN versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $38.00 in Brainerd, MN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,417 per month in Brainerd, MN versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,316 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Brainerd, MN 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Brainerd, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.