Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brugge Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brugge

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,155 in Brugge, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $3,192 in Brugge, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $4,228 in Brugge, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 3% more than Brugge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Brugge sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Brugge by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$25.51 €21.97

-37.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$105 €90.5

-38.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$11.67 €10.05

-9.94%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.53 €3.90

-36.64%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.39 €2.92

-33.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$3.48 €3.00

-56.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$6.82 €5.87

-48.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.30 €4.56

-26.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.50 €1.29

-24.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.21 €1.91

-20.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.42 €1.22

23.94%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.29 €2.83

-2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$13.14 €11.31

2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$11.57 €9.96

-31.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$23.31 €20.07

-31.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.06 €1.77

12.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.97 €1.69

-13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.05 €1.76

-1.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.89 €2.48

-14.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.81 €1.56

1.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.87 €0.75

129.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.66 €1.43

16.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.10 €0.95

-28.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$12.28 €10.58

-46.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$9.47 €8.15

-39.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.36 €1.17

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.83 €1.57

62.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.13 €2.70

-24.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$57.1 €49.19

-20.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.49 €3.00

22.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.54 €2.19

-67.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$38.32 €32.99

-52.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.89 €1.63

8.99%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$25.4K €21.8K

35.13%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$27.8K €24.0K

41.11%

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

$148 €127

$246 €212

-39.85%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$34.44 €29.66

-40.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$63.0 €54.2

-37.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$40.74 €35.08

17.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$12.43 €10.70

52.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$16.33 €14.06

-43.78%

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

$614 €529

$411 €354

49.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,535 €5,627

145.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$90.1 €77.6

16.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$37.68 €32.45

11.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$103 €88.4

-8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$158 €136

-24.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$849 €731

91.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$774 €666

62.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,269 €1,093

138.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,086 €935

86.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$3,103 €2,672

151.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,465 €2,122

73.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$2,623 €2,259

-38.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-4.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brugge: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $849 in Brugge. 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 64% higher in Brugge, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $105 in Brugge. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $324 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Brugge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 3% more than Brugge, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,233 in Brugge. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brugge, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,155 in Brugge. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Brugge. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Brugge, where all-in costs run around $2,155, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Brugge it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brugge – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Brugge. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.