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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $919 in Brades.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,178 in Brades.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,437 in Brades.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 147% more expensive than in Brades, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Brades is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$18.86 EC$50.9

-6.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$48.50 EC$131

32.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.82 EC$31.92

-1.44%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$7.05 EC$19.03

-53.76%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.89 EC$7.79

-13.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.57 EC$4.24

6.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.99 EC$8.07

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.52 EC$12.20

-20.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$3.50 EC$9.45

-66.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.94 EC$7.95

-33.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$7.44 EC$20.09

-46.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$5.83 EC$15.74

127.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$9.33 EC$25.20

-9.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$22.92 EC$61.9

-20.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.33 EC$8.99

-30.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.48 EC$12.09

-41.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.16 EC$5.83

-2.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$5.09 EC$13.74

-71.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$22.33 EC$60.3

-73.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$4.56 EC$12.32

-52.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.86 EC$5.03

27.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$4.56 EC$12.31

-75.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$1.86 EC$5.03

827.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$22.4K EC$60.4K

53.95%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$14.9K EC$40.2K

179.26%

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

$171 €147

$94.2 EC$254

81.38%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$40.71 EC$110

-53.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$47.66 EC$129

-28.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$56.1 EC$152

-11.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,277 EC$3,449

128.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,301 EC$3,512

55.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,276 EC$3,446

26.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Brades: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 27% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $48.00 in Brades. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $345, 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 147% 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.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Lisbon, 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 $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $919 in Brades – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $919 in Brades versus $2,268 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 $919 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 147% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.