Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bray

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $3,126 in Bray, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Bray
🇮🇪 Ireland
$3,126
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Bray

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Bray actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Lisbon vs $3,126 in Bray, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Bray $3,126

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Lisbon vs $4,556 in Bray, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Bray $4,556

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $5,986 in Bray, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Bray $5,986

Lisbon is about 30% cheaper than Bray, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lisbon and Bray sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Bray by 131%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$23.73 €21.11
-28.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$101 €90.2
-38.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$13.57 €12.07
-18.79%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$4.83 €4.30
-35.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.99 €2.66
-24.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.20 €1.96
-20.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$7.94 €7.06
-56.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$7.02 €6.25
-46.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.62 €1.44
-27.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.29 €2.04
-18.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.07 €1.84
-25.60%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$4.40 €3.92
-7.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$10.04 €8.93
28.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$11.01 €9.79
-28.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$13.34 €11.87
32.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.76 €2.46
-18.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.24 €1.99
-21.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.77 €2.46
-31.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$4.02 €3.58
-36.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.91 €1.70
-3.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.55 €1.37
27.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.26 €1.12
15.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$1.83 €1.63
-57.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$20.38 €18.13
-67.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$13.72 €12.20
-58.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.51 €3.12
-60.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$3.46 €3.08
-39.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$2.54 €2.26
-8.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$110 €97.9
-59.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$5.25 €4.67
-24.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.44 €1.28
-27.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$38.24 €34.01
-55.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.06 €1.84
6.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$39.5K €35.1K
-14.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$38.4K €34.1K
-0.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$271 €241
-39.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$20.64 €18.36
-10.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$50.8 €45.20
-35.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$65.5 €58.3
-29.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$17.04 €15.15
9.62%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$15.76 €14.01
-38.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$1,004 €893
-31.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$14.5K €12.9K
21.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$99.0 €88.1
4.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$48.70 €43.32
-5.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$109 €96.7
-8.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$113 €101
10.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$2,222 €1,977
-28.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$1,689 €1,502
-30.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$3,799 €3,379
-24.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$2,766 €2,460
-27.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$10.2K €9,101
-23.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$6,718 €5,976
-34.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Bray
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$3,150 €2,802
-49.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.82
0.79%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Bray: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Bray
$1.7K 44.4% $520
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Bray
$336 23.2% $63
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Bray
$363 46.7% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Bray
$342 59% $127
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Bray
$166 1.3% $2.1
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Bray
$97 48.4% $32
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Bray
$133 111% $70

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Lisbon versus $2,222 in Bray. 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 97% higher in Bray, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon versus $101 in Bray. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $336 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇮🇪 Bray
🕒 Local time
09:14 9:14 AM
09:14 9:14 AM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
33,512
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Bray 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Bray

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bray: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bray cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Bray is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,302 per month in Lisbon and $4,690 in Bray. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Bray?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,202 in Lisbon and $3,126 in Bray. That's a gap of about 42%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 148% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Bray?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,202, than in Bray at $3,126. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bray it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lisbon or Bray more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Bray?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bray makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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