Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brussels Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brussels

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,511 in Brussels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,815 in Brussels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $5,120 in Brussels.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 12% less than in Brussels, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Brussels 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$28.39 €24.44

-43.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$92.7 €79.8

-30.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$15.30 €13.17

-31.31%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.84 €4.16

-40.70%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.11 €2.68

-27.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.98 €2.56

-49.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$7.12 €6.13

-50.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.83 €5.02

-33.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.55 €1.34

-26.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$3.01 €2.59

-41.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.80 €2.41

-37.14%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.89 €4.21

-34.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$16.57 €14.27

-18.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$13.48 €11.61

-41.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$18.92 €16.29

-16.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.96 €2.55

-21.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.53 €2.18

-32.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.77 €2.39

-27.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.14 €2.70

-21.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.57 €2.22

-28.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.46 €2.12

-18.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.72 €1.48

12.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.16 €1.00

-31.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$12.57 €10.82

-47.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$9.47 €8.16

-39.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.51 €2.16

-45.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.24 €2.79

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.81 €2.42

-15.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$60.6 €52.2

-24.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$7.59 €6.53

-43.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.33 €2.00

-64.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$34.30 €29.53

-46.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.85 €1.59

11.35%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$34.1K €29.3K

0.60%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$35.4K €30.5K

10.87%

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

$148 €127

$262 €226

-43.66%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$21.44 €18.46

-4.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$56.2 €48.37

-29.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$41.19 €35.46

16.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$31.33 €26.98

-39.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$15.24 €13.12

-39.76%

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

$614 €529

$1,117 €962

-45.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$22.8K €19.6K

-29.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$107 €92.5

-2.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$48.48 €41.73

-13.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$116 €100

-19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$150 €129

-20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$1,318 €1,135

23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,066 €918

17.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$2,318 €1,996

30.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$1,804 €1,553

12.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$5,112 €4,401

52.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$3,902 €3,360

9.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$3,338 €2,874

-51.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.65

4.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brussels: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,318 in Brussels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 108% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $93.0 in Brussels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $379 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 Brussels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Brussels earns 108% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,318 in Brussels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $93.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 $2,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Brussels 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 14% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.