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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $2,612 in Rutherford, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $3,942 in Rutherford, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $5,272 in Rutherford, NJ.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 14% less than in Rutherford, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 67% above, Rutherford, NJ 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$19.80 $19.80

-20.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$121 $121

-47.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$11.95 $11.95

-13.64%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$5.95 $5.95

-52.77%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$2.44 $2.44

-4.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.63 $1.63

-7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$7.04 $7.04

-52.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$6.90 $6.90

-43.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.26 $1.26

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$4.31 $4.31

-59.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$5.60 $5.60

-68.75%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$5.32 $5.32

-41.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$13.81 $13.81

-3.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$10.08 $10.08

-22.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$14.83 $14.83

8.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$5.82 $5.82

-58.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$2.68 $2.68

-35.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$4.37 $4.37

-54.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$4.14 $4.14

-38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$3.09 $3.09

-42.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.65 $2.65

-25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$2.69 $2.69

-27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$2.78 $2.78

-69.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$14.87 $14.87

-54.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$15.03 $15.03

-61.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.78 $1.78

-22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$3.60 $3.60

-18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$2.02 $2.02

13.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$3.03 $3.03

35.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$2.18 $2.18

-62.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$41.52 $41.52

-54.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.92 $0.92

127.17%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$24.0K $24.0K

46.59%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$24.4K $24.4K

62.45%

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

$150 €128

$160 $160

-6.74%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$52.9 $52.9

-61.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$68.0 $68.0

-42.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$43.47 $43.47

14.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$19.86 $19.86

-53.68%

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

$624 €533

$1,740 $1,740

-64.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$14.4K $14.4K

10.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$49.59 $49.59

106.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$59.2 $59.2

-30.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$87.4 $87.4

9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$98.7 $98.7

22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$1,602 $1,602

3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$1,371 $1,371

-10.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$2,626 $2,626

15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$2,224 $2,224

-7.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$2,644 $2,644

197.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$2,441 $2,441

76.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.7

-43.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Rutherford, NJ: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $1,602 in Rutherford, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63 in Lisbon vs $121 in Rutherford, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $424 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

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

Lisbon and Rutherford, NJ differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $2,612 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,365 in Lisbon and $3,918 in Rutherford, NJ to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $1,602 in Rutherford, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Rutherford, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $2,612 in Rutherford, NJ – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Rutherford, NJ are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Rutherford, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.