Cost of Living Comparison Between Clifton, NJ and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Clifton, NJ and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,724 per month in Clifton, NJ vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,994 per month in Clifton, NJ vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,264 per month in Clifton, NJ vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Clifton, NJ costs about 18% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Clifton, NJ and Lisbon sit above the global median – Clifton, NJ by 98%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.90 $22.90

$17.30 €14.89

32.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$63.3 €54.4

25.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.06 $13.06

$11.39 €9.80

14.66%

Cappuccino

$6.28 $6.28

$3.19 €2.75

96.87%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$2.45 €2.10

3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.76 €1.52

-2.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$3.59 €3.09

126.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 $7.16

$3.39 €2.92

111.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.24 €1.06

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.98 €1.71

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$1.52 €1.31

300.00%

Eggs

$5.84 $5.84

$4.04 €3.48

44.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.77 $13.77

$13.54 €11.65

1.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$8.39 €7.22

20.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.75 $17.75

$18.25 €15.70

-2.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$2.29 €1.97

169.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.74 €1.50

28.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$1.86 €1.60

201.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$2.63 €2.26

105.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.92 €1.65

85.94%

Onion (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.09 €1.80

97.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.44 €1.24

106.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.84 €0.72

204.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.77 $17.77

$6.78 €5.83

162.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$5.71 €4.91

162.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.38 €1.18

34.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.22 €1.91

59.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.40 €2.06

79.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$4.17 €3.59

-29.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.14 €0.98

85.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.48 $42.48

$17.68 €15.21

140.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.32 €2.00

-53.02%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$35.3K €30.4K

1.44%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$41.4K €35.7K

-39.97%

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

$204 $204

$170 €147

19.80%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$19.34 €16.64

166.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$33.64 €28.95

97.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.35 $29.35

$48.10 €41.39

-38.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$20.42 $20.42

$9.92 €8.54

105.85%

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

$1,755 $1,755

$717 €617

144.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$17.5K €15.0K

-9.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.18 $31.18

$105 €90.2

-70.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.92 $19.92

$46.95 €40.40

-57.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$103 €89.0

5.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$124 €107

1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$1,677 €1,443

-19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$1,271 €1,094

8.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 $2,813

$2,985 €2,568

-5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 $2,208

$1,992 €1,715

10.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,552 $8,552

$7,826 €6,734

9.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,234 $4,234

$1,583 €1,362

167.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

3.79

66.23%

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

Last update for Clifton, NJ: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,348 in Clifton, NJ versus $1,677 in Lisbon. 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 168% higher in Clifton, NJ, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Clifton, NJ versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $454 vs $283 – 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

Clifton, NJ vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,724 in Clifton, NJ, $2,316 in Lisbon – roughly 18% apart. Clifton, NJ costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,085 per month in Clifton, NJ and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, 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 $2,724 in Clifton, NJ and $2,316 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,755 per month in Clifton, NJ and $717 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,316, than in Clifton, NJ at $2,724. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Clifton, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,316 in Lisbon to $2,724 in Clifton, NJ. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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