Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brea, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $3,716 in Brea, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Brea, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,716
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Brea, CA

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 Brea, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $3,716 in Brea, CA.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Brea, CA $3,716

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $5,124 in Brea, CA.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Brea, CA $5,124

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $6,532 in Brea, CA.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Brea, CA $6,532

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 41% less than in Brea, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Brea, CA 174% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$25.18 $25.18
-32.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$78.5 $78.5
-20.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$12.18 $12.18
-9.52%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$5.59 $5.59
-44.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.69 $2.69
-15.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.98 $1.98
-12.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$7.34 $7.34
-53.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$9.46 $9.46
-60.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.18 $1.18
-0.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$5.29 $5.29
-64.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$4.41 $4.41
-65.08%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$4.86 $4.86
-16.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$15.38 $15.38
-16.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$8.87 $8.87
-10.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$13.91 $13.91
26.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$4.66 $4.66
-51.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.80 $1.80
-2.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$4.30 $4.30
-56.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$5.77 $5.77
-55.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$3.61 $3.61
-48.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$3.07 $3.07
-35.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$2.14 $2.14
-32.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$2.18 $2.18
-64.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$11.95 $11.95
-43.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$15.14 $15.14
-62.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.77 $1.77
-22.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$3.21 $3.21
-34.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$4.58 $4.58
-13.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.81 $1.81
-41.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$36.28 $36.28
-52.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.57 $1.57
39.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$27.8K $27.8K
21.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$26.0K $26.0K
47.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$218 $218
-24.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$70.8 $70.8
-73.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$69.1 $69.1
-52.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$30.08 $30.08
52.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$20.02 $20.02
-6.69%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$19.98 $19.98
-51.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$1,162 $1,162
-41.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$42.8K $42.8K
-58.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$62.2 $62.2
66.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$41.12 $41.12
12.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$80.9 $80.9
23.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$104 $104
19.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$2,241 $2,241
-29.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$2,354 $2,354
-50.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$3,133 $3,133
-9.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$3,521 $3,521
-43.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$5,884 $5,884
32.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$6,172 $6,172
-28.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Brea, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$9,939 $9,939
-83.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.31
-38.99%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Brea, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Brea, CA
$2.4K 101% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Brea, CA
$411 50.7% $138
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Brea, CA
$379 53.3% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Brea, CA
$358 66.2% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Brea, CA
$130 22.9% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Brea, CA
$70 7.1% $4.7
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Brea, CA
$14 * 78.4% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $2,241 in Brea, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 521% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $79.0 in Brea, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $411 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Brea, CA
🕒 Local time
22:52 10:52 PM
14:52 2:52 PM
8 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
38,585
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Brea, CA 9,110 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Brea, CA

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 Brea, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Brea, CA?
Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Brea, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Brea, CA?
On paper, salaries run 521% lower in Brea, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Brea, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $2,241 in Brea, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and in Brea, CA?
Childcare runs $684 in Lisbon versus $1,162 in Brea, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Brea, CA?
Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $79.0 in Brea, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Lisbon or in Brea, CA?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $3,716 in Brea, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Brea, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Brea, CA?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,202 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Brea, CA?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Brea, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Brea, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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