BrusselsvsLisbon
💰
Lisbon saves you $600/month
21% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
Brussels has 2x faster internet
150 Mbps avg download speed
🌡️
Temperate vs Mediterranean climate
Different weather patterns year-round
🛂
Portugal offers a digital nomad visa
Long-stay visa for remote workers
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Brussels
Lisbon
Total Budget
$2,800/mo
$2,200/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$1,100/mo
$800/mo ✓
Coworking
$295/mo
$200/mo ✓
Meal Out
$12
$12
Coffee
$3.5
$1.5 ✓
Lisbon is $600/mo cheaper (27% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇧🇪 Brussels
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+0
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West3h
🇺🇸 US East6h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🇵🇹 Lisbon
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-1
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West4h
🇺🇸 US East7h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Brussels
ClimateTemperate
Avg Temp12°C
Rainy Days144/year
Best months: June
Lisbon
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp18°C
Rainy Days83/year
Best months: June, July, August, May
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
3°13°
Apr
10°17°
Jul
19°23°
Oct
13°20°
BrusselsLisbon
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇧🇪Brussels
🇵🇹Lisbon
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,800
$2,200
Winner📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
Winner100 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.5/5
4.3/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
3.8/10
4.5/10
Winner🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
9/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
8/10
🚶
Walkability
8/10
9/10
👥
Community
large
very large
1
Brussels wins
vs
3
Lisbon wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Lisbon
$600/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Brussels
150 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Lisbon
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇧🇪Brussels
Pros
- +Heart of EU - excellent networking opportunities
- +Multicultural city with 180+ nationalities
- +World-class food scene - chocolate, beer, waffles
- +Central European location - easy travel to Paris, Amsterdam, London
Cons
- −High cost of living compared to Eastern Europe
- −Weather can be grey and rainy much of the year
- −High taxes for residents and businesses
- −Some areas feel unsafe at night near train stations
🇵🇹Lisbon
Pros
- +Beautiful weather year-round
- +Strong digital nomad community
- +Excellent healthcare system
- +Path to EU citizenship (5 years)
Cons
- −Rising cost of living
- −Expensive rent in city center
- −Bureaucracy can be slow
- −High income requirement for D8 visa (€3,480/mo)
