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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $3,839 in Somerset, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $4,292 in Somerset, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $4,746 in Somerset, NJ.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 40% less than in Somerset, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Somerset, NJ 181% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$17.86 $17.86

-1.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$40.58 $40.58

54.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.98 $7.98

45.11%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.14 $5.14

-39.69%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.03 $2.03

22.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.53 $1.53

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$8.16 $8.16

-57.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$7.13 $7.13

-51.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.26 $1.26

-8.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$4.42 $4.42

-56.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$6.17 $6.17

-75.69%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.96 $1.96

103.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$12.96 $12.96

2.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.26 $10.26

-21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$19.71 $19.71

-8.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$6.06 $6.06

-61.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.64 $3.64

-51.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$4.35 $4.35

-57.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.30 $5.30

-51.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.12 $3.12

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.00 $3.00

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.55 $2.55

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.96 $2.96

-72.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$17.64 $17.64

-59.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$15.15 $15.15

-60.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.82 $1.82

-28.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.60 $3.60

-40.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.95 $1.95

21.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.02 $3.02

35.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.23 $2.23

-48.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$42.13 $42.13

-59.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.04 $1.04

122.12%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$35.3K $35.3K

-3.36%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

67.05%

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

$169 €147

$171 $171

-1.66%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$50.2 $50.2

-61.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$50.9 $50.9

-34.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$40.94 $40.94

19.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$20.61 $20.61

-53.57%

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

$696 €607

$1,995 $1,995

-65.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$16.2K $16.2K

6.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$51.0 $51.0

106.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$40.86 $40.86

16.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$87.6 $87.6

14.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$101 $101

23.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$1,567 $1,567

6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$2,622 $2,622

-52.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$2,515 $2,515

17.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$2,096 $2,096

-2.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$2,742 $2,742

185.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$2,373 $2,373

88.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.28

-39.81%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Somerset, NJ: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,567 in Somerset, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $41.00 in Somerset, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $442, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Somerset, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Somerset, NJ differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $3,839 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $5,758 in Somerset, 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,567 in Somerset, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Somerset, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $3,839 in Somerset, NJ – a 67% 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 Somerset, 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 67% less than in Somerset, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.