Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brades Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brades

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $723 in Brades.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,939 in Brades.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,155 in Brades.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 206% more expensive than Brades, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Brades is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$18.19 EC$49.12

-12.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$47.80 EC$129

35.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.54 EC$20.36

39.39%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$6.45 EC$17.42

-55.50%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.50 EC$6.75

-10.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.38 EC$3.73

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.56 EC$6.92

36.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.52 EC$12.19

-14.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.37 EC$9.10

-66.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.91 EC$7.85

-39.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$7.30 EC$19.71

-55.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$5.96 EC$16.10

126.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$9.22 EC$24.88

-14.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$23.85 EC$64.4

-33.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.22 EC$8.69

-28.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$4.55 EC$12.29

-45.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.28 EC$6.15

-12.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$5.30 EC$14.31

-63.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$22.59 EC$61.0

-74.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$4.33 EC$11.68

-31.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.87 EC$5.05

26.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$22.3K EC$60.1K

53.89%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$16.6K EC$44.9K

136.50%

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

$40.93 EC$111

-49.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$54.7 EC$148

-12.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,270 EC$3,428

138.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,289 EC$3,480

56.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,307 EC$3,528

22.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brades: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $48.00 in Brades. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $346, 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

Lisbon vs Brades: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brades wins on cost – living expenses run 206% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brades the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lisbon pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $723 in Brades – a 206% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $723 in Brades versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brades but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Brades the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brades delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $723 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brades hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Brades 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 Brades gentler on the wallet – expenses run 206% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.