Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brownsville, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Brownsville, TX: $1,752 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Brownsville, TX, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Brownsville, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$1,752
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Brownsville, TX

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 Brownsville, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,752 in Brownsville, TX, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Brownsville, TX $1,752

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $2,612 in Brownsville, TX, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Brownsville, TX $2,612

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $3,472 in Brownsville, TX, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Brownsville, TX $3,472

Lisbon costs about 26% more than Brownsville, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lisbon and Brownsville, TX sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Brownsville, TX by 29%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.85
$10.13 $10.13
64.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.1
$59.9 $59.9
3.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.13
$7.95 $7.95
42.89%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.65
$4.03 $4.03
-26.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.04
$2.03 $2.03
12.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.01 $2.01
-13.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.04
$5.05 $5.05
-32.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.95
$5.10 $5.10
-35.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.03
$0.85 $0.85
36.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.24 $2.24
-14.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$2.22 $2.22
-31.98%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.59
$2.83 $2.83
42.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.54
$9.32 $9.32
38.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.94
$12.84 $12.84
-39.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.85
$9.11 $9.11
94.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.61 $2.61
-11.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.29 $2.29
-24.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.67 $1.67
11.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.31
$1.98 $1.98
30.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$2.90 $2.90
-37.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.07 $1.07
84.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.01 $1.01
45.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.02 $1.02
-29.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.87
$9.57 $9.57
-31.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.00
$7.35 $7.35
-23.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.05 $2.05
-33.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.23 $2.23
-4.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.08
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €39.86
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.43
$4.15 $4.15
-7.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.95
$0.77 $0.77
38.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.69
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.96
$0.86 $0.86
155.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.5K
$28.9K $28.9K
18.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.5K
$24.3K $24.3K
59.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$162 $162
-0.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.43
$37.04 $37.04
-50.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.21
$67.4 $67.4
-51.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.74
$49.89 $49.89
-10.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.04
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.56
$11.78 $11.78
-18.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €596
$595 $595
12.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.0
$78.7 $78.7
29.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.67
$44.47 $44.47
-0.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €87.9
$75.8 $75.8
30.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €110
$96.5 $96.5
28.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,435
$944 $944
70.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,062
$796 $796
49.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,509
$1,656 $1,656
69.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,796
$1,384 $1,384
45.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €6,994
$1,860 $1,860
321.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,082
$1,856 $1,856
146.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Brownsville, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,405
$3,159 $3,159
-50.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.48
-40.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Brownsville, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Brownsville, TX
$796 33.1% $394
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Brownsville, TX
$271 0.7% $1.8
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Brownsville, TX
$205 15.6% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Brownsville, TX
$266 25.3% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Brownsville, TX
$133 19.8% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Brownsville, TX
$73 15.2% $9.7
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Brownsville, TX
$8 * 87.4% $55

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $944 in Brownsville, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Brownsville, TX are about 2 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $60 in Brownsville, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $271 – making Brownsville, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Brownsville, TX
🕒 Local time
14:30 2:30 PM
08:30 8:30 AM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
186,738
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Brownsville, TX 8,110 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Brownsville, TX

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 Brownsville, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lisbon and in Brownsville, TX compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $1,752 in Brownsville, TX – Brownsville, TX comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Brownsville, TX?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,628 in Brownsville, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lisbon and Brownsville, TX?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Brownsville, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $944 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Brownsville, TX?
Kindergarten costs $668 per month in Lisbon and $595 in Brownsville, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Brownsville, TX?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,752 in Brownsville, TX. That makes Brownsville, TX about 21% cheaper.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Brownsville, TX?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,752 in Brownsville, TX, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Lisbon or Brownsville, TX?
Families tend to lean toward Brownsville, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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