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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,379 in Brainerd, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,438 in Brainerd, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $4,496 in Brainerd, MN.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 4% less than in Brainerd, MN, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Brainerd, MN 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$14.75 $14.75

19.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$37.85 $37.85

66.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$10.87 $10.87

6.53%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.88 $1.88

64.89%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.19 $2.19

13.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.92 $1.92

-9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$6.01 $6.01

-42.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$5.92 $5.92

-41.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.86 $0.86

33.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.32 $3.32

-42.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$6.54 $6.54

-77.06%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.50 $2.50

59.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$10.09 $10.09

31.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.08 $10.08

-20.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$13.26 $13.26

36.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$6.10 $6.10

-61.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.87 $1.87

-6.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$6.64 $6.64

-72.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.13 $5.13

-50.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$4.41 $4.41

-58.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.89 $3.89

-46.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.24 $2.24

-33.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.67 $2.67

-69.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$11.84 $11.84

-40.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$13.04 $13.04

-54.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.86 $2.86

-54.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$4.48 $4.48

-52.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.02 $2.02

16.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

$40.06 $40.06

16.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.07 $3.07

32.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.59 $1.59

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$23.92 $23.92

-28.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.90 $0.90

156.67%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$37.0K $37.0K

-7.68%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$25.0K $25.0K

65.25%

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

$169 €147

$158 $158

6.87%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$45.44 $45.44

-57.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$60.8 $60.8

-44.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$41.96 $41.96

16.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.84 $8.84

8.26%

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

$696 €606

$1,221 $1,221

-43.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$35.9K $35.9K

-51.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$40.50 $40.50

159.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$43.65 $43.65

9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$59.5 $59.5

68.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$64.2 $64.2

93.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$1,601 $1,601

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$1,286 $1,286

-3.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$2,516 $2,516

17.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$2,107 $2,107

-2.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

$2,375 $2,375

229.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

$2,388 $2,388

86.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.27

-39.71%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Brainerd, MN: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,601 in Brainerd, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Brainerd, MN. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $404, 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 Brainerd, MN: 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 $3,444 in Lisbon and $3,569 in Brainerd, MN 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,601 in Brainerd, MN. 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 $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $2,379 in Brainerd, MN – 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 $2,296 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Brainerd, MN 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.