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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,722 in Paterson, NJ versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,101 in Paterson, NJ versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,480 in Paterson, NJ versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Paterson, NJ is roughly 17% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paterson, NJ 98% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.16 $19.16

$17.30 €14.93

10.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$63.3 €54.6

26.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.04 $14.04

$11.39 €9.83

23.27%

Cappuccino

$6.20 $6.20

$3.19 €2.75

94.36%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$2.45 €2.11

20.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.76 €1.52

65.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$3.59 €3.10

127.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$3.39 €2.93

100.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.24 €1.07

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.98 €1.71

121.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$1.52 €1.31

305.26%

Eggs

$5.80 $5.80

$4.04 €3.49

43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.03 $14.03

$13.54 €11.68

3.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$8.39 €7.24

21.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 $18.84

$18.25 €15.75

3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$2.29 €1.98

165.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.74 €1.50

28.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.86 €1.60

136.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.63 €2.27

106.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.92 €1.65

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.09 €1.81

76.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.44 €1.24

93.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.84 €0.73

202.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.68 $17.68

$6.78 €5.85

160.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$5.71 €4.93

159.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.38 €1.19

34.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.22 €1.91

63.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$4.17 €3.60

-29.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.14 €0.98

85.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.62 $42.62

$17.68 €15.26

141.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.32 €2.01

-53.45%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.3K €30.5K

1.96%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$41.4K €35.8K

-39.14%

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

$173 $173

$170 €147

1.47%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$19.34 €16.69

166.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 $50.9

$33.64 €29.03

51.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$20.48 $20.48

$9.92 €8.56

106.45%

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

$1,755 $1,755

$717 €619

144.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$17.5K €15.1K

-9.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$105 €90.4

-51.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 $56.2

$46.95 €40.51

19.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$103 €89.2

4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$124 €107

-16.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,550 $2,550

$1,677 €1,447

52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 $1,483

$1,271 €1,097

16.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,540 $3,540

$2,985 €2,575

18.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,667 $2,667

$1,992 €1,719

33.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,231 $3,231

$1,583 €1,366

104.10%

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 Paterson, NJ: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,550 in Paterson, NJ and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paterson, NJ pays 104% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $80.0 in Paterson, NJ vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $283 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

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

Paterson, NJ and Lisbon differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,722 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 104% higher in Paterson, NJ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,550 in Paterson, NJ versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Paterson, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,722 per month in Paterson, NJ versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 17% 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, Paterson, NJ and Lisbon 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 17% less than in Paterson, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.