BrusselsvsMadeira
💰
Madeira saves you $600/month
21% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
Madeira has 1x faster internet
200 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
Madeira
Total Budget
$2,800/mo
$2,200/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$1,100/mo
$1,100/mo
Coworking
$295/mo
$150/mo ✓
Meal Out
$12
$12
Coffee
$3.5
$2.5 ✓
Madeira 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
🇵🇹 Madeira
📶 Internet200 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
Madeira
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp17°C
Rainy Days123/year
Best months: July, August, June
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
3°14°
Apr
10°15°
Jul
19°20°
Oct
13°19°
BrusselsMadeira
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇧🇪Brussels
🇵🇹Madeira
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,800
$2,200
Winner📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
200 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
3.5/5
4.8/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
3.8/10
4.3/10
Winner🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
Winner5/10
🚶
Walkability
8/10
7/10
👥
Community
large
Winnermedium
2
Brussels wins
vs
4
Madeira wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Madeira
$600/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Madeira
200 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Brussels
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Madeira
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Brussels
World-famous nightlife scene
🇧🇪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
🇵🇹Madeira
Pros
- +First Digital Nomad Village in Europe with free coworking in Ponta do Sol
- +UNESCO World Heritage Laurisilva forest with 2,500km of levada trails
- +Eternal spring climate with mild temperatures year-round (15-25°C)
- +One of the safest destinations in Europe with very low crime
Cons
- −Rising rent prices approaching Amsterdam levels in Funchal center
- −Car rental essential for exploring beyond Funchal and hiking trails
- −Limited nightlife compared to mainland European cities
- −Small island can feel isolating after extended stays
