Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $4,319 in Bergen County, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $25,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bergen County, NJ, United States
Lisbon, Portugal
Bergen County, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$4,319
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bergen County, NJ and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bergen County, NJ and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,319 in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Bergen County, NJ $4,319
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,498 in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Bergen County, NJ $5,498
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,677 in Bergen County, NJ versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Bergen County, NJ $6,677
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 95% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen County, NJ 217% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.56 $23.56
$16.65 €14.92
41.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.7 $84.7
$61.7 €55.3
37.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.06 $13.06
$11.36 €10.18
14.96%
Cappuccino
$5.11 $5.11
$2.97 €2.66
72.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 $2.90
$2.29 €2.05
26.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.74 €1.56
30.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.16 $8.16
$3.40 €3.05
140.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.97 $7.97
$3.31 €2.97
140.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.16 €1.04
22.41%
White Bread (500g)
$4.48 $4.48
$1.91 €1.71
134.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.54 $7.54
$1.51 €1.36
399.34%
Eggs
$5.16 $5.16
$4.02 €3.60
28.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.70 $12.70
$12.94 €11.59
-1.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.60 $11.60
$7.77 €6.97
49.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.31 $17.31
$17.76 €15.92
-2.53%
Apples (1kg)
$5.32 $5.32
$2.30 €2.06
131.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 $1.61
$1.73 €1.55
-6.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.68 $5.68
$1.86 €1.66
205.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.69 $5.69
$2.59 €2.32
119.69%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 $3.03
$1.82 €1.63
66.48%
Onion (1kg)
$3.18 $3.18
$1.97 €1.76
61.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.47 €1.32
68.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$0.72 €0.65
243.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.74 $11.74
$6.58 €5.90
78.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.59 $24.59
$5.61 €5.02
338.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.36 €1.22
24.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 $4.53
$2.14 €1.91
111.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.13 $4.13
$2.33 €2.09
77.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$171 $171
$44.68 €40.04
281.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 $2.83
$3.85 €3.45
-26.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.07 €0.96
48.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.84 $23.84
$16.46 €14.75
44.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$2.20 €1.97
-49.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$34.2K €30.6K
-18.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$38.7K €34.7K
-33.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$212 $212
$161 €144
31.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$73.8 $73.8
$18.41 €16.50
301.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.6 $65.6
$32.74 €29.34
100.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$101 $101
$44.55 €39.92
126.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$50.5 $50.5
$19.10 €17.11
164.40%
Cinema Ticket
$14.84 $14.84
$9.60 €8.60
54.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,461 $2,461
$668 €598
268.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K $23.3K
$17.6K €15.8K
32.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.5 $50.5
$102 €91.4
-50.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.54 $44.54
$44.46 €39.85
0.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.0 $79.0
$98.5 €88.3
-19.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151 $151
$124 €111
21.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,727 $2,727
$1,608 €1,441
69.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,660 $2,660
$1,190 €1,066
123.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,560 $4,560
$2,812 €2,520
62.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,995 $2,995
$2,013 €1,804
48.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,935 $3,935
$7,839 €7,025
-49.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,765 $3,765
$4,576 €4,100
-17.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bergen County, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,455 $5,455
$1,575 €1,411
246.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.66
3.85
72.99%

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

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bergen County, NJ
$2.7K
Lisbon
$1.2K 55.3% $1.5K
Groceries & Markets
Bergen County, NJ
$467
Lisbon
$272 41.7% $195
Eating Out
Bergen County, NJ
$366
Lisbon
$243 33.8% $124
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bergen County, NJ
$351
Lisbon
$212 39.5% $139
Getting Around
Bergen County, NJ
$198
Lisbon
$63 68.1% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Bergen County, NJ
$146
Lisbon
$166 13.5% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Bergen County, NJ
$131
Lisbon
$64 51.2% $67

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,727 in Bergen County, NJ and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays about 3.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Bergen County, NJ vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $467 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Bergen County, NJ
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
00:32 12:32 AM
05:32 5:32 AM
5 h ahead of Bergen County, NJ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,668
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Bergen County, NJ Lisbon 5,420 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bergen County, NJ
  • Lisbon

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
Bergen County, NJ vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Bergen County, NJ and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $4,319 in Bergen County, NJ and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Lisbon is about 49% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Bergen County, NJ or Lisbon?
Average pay in Bergen County, NJ is about 3.5 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Bergen County, NJ and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,727 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $62 versus $85 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bergen County, NJ or Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $4,319 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,210 in Lisbon – Lisbon is about 49% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $4,319 in Bergen County, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Bergen County, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Where should families live: Bergen County, NJ or Lisbon?
For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bergen County, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Where should expats move: Bergen County, NJ or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Bergen County, NJ vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?