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 $1,940 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,673 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,407 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Brownsville, TX is about 15% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Brownsville, TX and Lisbon sit above the global median – Brownsville, TX by 45%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 $9.93

$16.19 €14.17

-38.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 $55.1

$63.3 €55.4

-12.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$10.32 €9.03

17.54%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$2.83 €2.48

77.03%

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

$1.94 $1.94

$2.29 €2.00

-15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 €1.38

25.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 $5.48

$3.40 €2.98

61.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$4.03 €3.52

83.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.09 €0.95

-18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.75 €1.53

22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.76 €1.54

26.14%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$3.17 €2.77

-12.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$13.19 €11.54

-29.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$7.97 €6.97

41.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 $9.11

$15.53 €13.59

-41.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.37 €2.07

9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.71 €1.49

-7.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.01 €1.76

-16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.43 €2.13

-17.28%

Potato (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$1.76 €1.54

214.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.03 €1.78

-45.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.92 €1.68

-48.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.85 €0.74

16.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.55 $9.55

$6.58 €5.76

45.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$5.58 €4.88

173.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.33 €1.17

32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.97 €2.60

71.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.28 €1.99

-11.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.23 €3.70

-16.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.81 €0.71

103.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.92 $28.92

$18.44 €16.13

56.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$2.08 €1.82

-64.42%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$34.7K €30.3K

-14.49%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$39.2K €34.3K

-34.81%

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

$341 $341

$148 €130

130.08%

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

$74.4 $74.4

$20.46 €17.90

263.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 $77.0

$39.56 €34.61

94.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.90 $49.90

$47.99 €41.99

3.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 $14.54

$9.22 €8.07

57.70%

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

$599 $599

$616 €539

-2.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$16.4K €14.4K

43.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$103 €89.9

-49.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 $39.88

$41.74 €36.52

-4.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 $87.8

$94.8 €82.9

-7.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$122 €107

-6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 $786

$1,633 €1,428

-51.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$683 $683

$1,232 €1,078

-44.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 $950

$3,098 €2,711

-69.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 $943

$2,031 €1,777

-53.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,871 $1,871

$7,831 €6,851

-76.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,861 $1,861

$4,389 €3,840

-57.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,212 $3,212

$1,607 €1,406

99.81%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Brownsville, TX versus $1,633 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 100% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Brownsville, TX vs $267 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: $1,940 in Brownsville, TX, $2,291 in Lisbon – roughly 18% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,910 per month in Brownsville, TX and $3,437 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 $1,940 in Brownsville, TX and $2,291 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $599 per month in Brownsville, TX and $616 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 $1,940, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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 $1,940 in Brownsville, TX to $2,291 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.