Cost of Living Comparison Between Brownsville, TX and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Brownsville, TX and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,951 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,696 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,441 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Brownsville, TX is about 12% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Brownsville, TX and Lisbon sit above the global median – Brownsville, TX by 46%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 $9.91

$15.91 €13.69

-37.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 $55.1

$64.8 €55.7

-14.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$10.51 €9.04

12.08%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$2.87 €2.47

71.08%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$2.24 €1.93

-8.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.50 €1.29

36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.49 €3.00

53.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.66 $7.66

$3.88 €3.34

97.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.14 €0.98

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.75 €1.51

22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.76 €1.51

26.14%

Eggs

$2.86 $2.86

$3.22 €2.77

-11.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 $8.97

$13.49 €11.61

-33.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$7.91 €6.81

43.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 $9.11

$15.87 €13.65

-42.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.31 €1.99

11.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.70 €1.46

-8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.01 €1.73

-19.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.46 €2.12

-18.29%

Potato (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$1.84 €1.59

203.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.00 €1.72

-46.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.93 €1.66

-49.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.79 €0.68

29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 $9.35

$6.61 €5.68

41.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$5.72 €4.92

158.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.37 €1.17

29.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.97 €2.56

63.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.37 €2.04

-17.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$4.29 €3.69

-17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.82 €0.70

101.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 $29.15

$18.30 €15.74

59.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$2.06 €1.78

-65.05%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$34.3K €29.5K

-13.88%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$39.3K €33.8K

-34.01%

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

$333 $333

$148 €127

125.50%

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

$76.0 $76.0

$20.52 €17.65

270.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.7 $77.7

$39.61 €34.08

96.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 $50.8

$47.85 €41.16

6.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 $14.32

$9.18 €7.90

55.99%

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

$598 $598

$614 €528

-2.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$16.0K €13.8K

46.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$105 €90.0

-51.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.70 $40.70

$42.06 €36.18

-3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 $87.7

$94.0 €80.8

-6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$120 €103

-5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 $798

$1,628 €1,400

-50.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 $672

$1,255 €1,080

-46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 $948

$3,030 €2,607

-68.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 $936

$2,020 €1,738

-53.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,841 $1,841

$7,800 €6,709

-76.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,841 $1,841

$4,273 €3,675

-56.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,263 $3,263

$1,603 €1,379

103.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

3.81

43.57%

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

Last update for Brownsville, TX: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $798 in Brownsville, TX versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 103% higher in Brownsville, TX, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Brownsville, TX versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Brownsville, TX vs $269 in Lisbon – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Brownsville, TX vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,951 in Brownsville, TX, $2,210 in Lisbon – roughly 13% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,926 per month in Brownsville, TX and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brownsville, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,951 in Brownsville, TX and $2,210 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $598 per month in Brownsville, TX and $614 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Brownsville, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,951, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Brownsville, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,951 in Brownsville, TX to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Brownsville, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.