Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hackensack, NJ and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hackensack, NJ, United States
Lisbon, Portugal
Hackensack, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$3,387
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hackensack, 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 Hackensack, NJ and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Hackensack, NJ $3,387
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,155 in Hackensack, NJ versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Hackensack, NJ $5,155
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,923 in Hackensack, NJ versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Hackensack, NJ $6,923
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Hackensack, NJ is roughly 53% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hackensack, NJ 149% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.17 $25.17
$16.65 €14.91
51.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.4 $98.4
$61.7 €55.3
59.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.09 $13.09
$11.36 €10.17
15.23%
Cappuccino
$5.44 $5.44
$2.97 €2.66
83.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$2.29 €2.05
4.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 $1.55
$1.74 €1.56
-10.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.83 $7.83
$3.40 €3.05
130.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.96 $7.96
$3.31 €2.96
140.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.16 €1.04
10.34%
White Bread (500g)
$4.38 $4.38
$1.91 €1.71
129.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.08 $6.08
$1.51 €1.35
302.65%
Eggs
$5.93 $5.93
$4.02 €3.60
47.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.53 $12.53
$12.94 €11.59
-3.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.97 $7.97
$7.77 €6.96
2.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.19 $17.19
$17.76 €15.91
-3.21%
Apples (1kg)
$5.48 $5.48
$2.30 €2.06
138.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.73 €1.55
-1.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.30 $4.30
$1.86 €1.66
131.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.39 $5.39
$2.59 €2.32
108.11%
Potato (1kg)
$3.12 $3.12
$1.82 €1.63
71.43%
Onion (1kg)
$2.97 $2.97
$1.97 €1.76
50.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.47 €1.32
91.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.93 $2.93
$0.72 €0.65
306.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.70 $11.70
$6.58 €5.90
77.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.82 $14.82
$5.61 €5.02
164.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$1.36 €1.22
28.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 $3.60
$2.14 €1.91
68.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.60 $3.60
$2.33 €2.09
54.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.2 $59.2
$44.68 €40.01
32.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.85 €3.45
-20.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.10 $2.10
$1.07 €0.96
96.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.30 $24.30
$16.46 €14.74
47.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$2.20 €1.97
-50.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K $27.8K
$34.2K €30.6K
-18.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$38.7K €34.7K
-34.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$213 $213
$161 €144
31.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.2 $54.2
$18.41 €16.49
194.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.74 $49.74
$32.74 €29.32
51.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.08 $45.08
$44.55 €39.90
1.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.10 €17.10
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.12 $20.12
$9.60 €8.60
109.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,965 $1,965
$668 €598
194.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K $16.0K
$17.6K €15.8K
-9.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.27 $44.27
$102 €91.4
-56.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.8 $56.8
$44.46 €39.82
27.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.9 $87.9
$98.5 €88.2
-10.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 $102
$124 €111
-17.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,356 $2,356
$1,608 €1,440
46.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,968 $1,968
$1,190 €1,066
65.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,211 $4,211
$2,812 €2,519
49.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,684 $3,684
$2,013 €1,803
82.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,608 $3,608
$7,839 €7,021
-53.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,238 $3,238
$4,576 €4,098
-29.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hackensack, NJ
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,137 $6,137
$1,575 €1,411
289.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.8
3.85
76.62%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hackensack, NJ
$2K
Lisbon
$1.2K 39.5% $778
Groceries & Markets
Hackensack, NJ
$423
Lisbon
$272 35.6% $150
Eating Out
Hackensack, NJ
$377
Lisbon
$243 35.6% $134
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hackensack, NJ
$316
Lisbon
$212 32.9% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Hackensack, NJ
$131
Lisbon
$166 26.5% $35
Getting Around
Hackensack, NJ
$87
Lisbon
$63 27.5% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Hackensack, NJ
$85
Lisbon
$64 25.3% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,356 in Hackensack, NJ and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays about 3.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $98 in Hackensack, NJ vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $423 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Hackensack, NJ
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
20:40 8:40 PM
01:40 1:40 AM
5 h ahead of Hackensack, NJ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
44,756
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
  • Hackensack, NJ Lisbon 5,420 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hackensack, 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
Hackensack, NJ vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hackensack, NJ or Lisbon?
Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Hackensack, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Hackensack, NJ or in Lisbon?
Average pay in Hackensack, NJ is about 3.9 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Hackensack, NJ compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,356 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Hackensack, NJ and in Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,965 in Hackensack, NJ versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Hackensack, NJ or in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Hackensack, NJ or in Lisbon?
At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Hackensack, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Hackensack, NJ or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value at $2,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.
How safe is Hackensack, NJ compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Hackensack, NJ and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Hackensack, NJ vs other spots: cost of living compared

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