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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,069 in Somerset, NJ versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,464 in Somerset, NJ versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,858 in Somerset, NJ versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Somerset, NJ is roughly 76% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Somerset, NJ 196% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.73 $17.73

$17.30 €14.87

2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 $39.63

$63.3 €54.4

-37.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 $7.90

$11.39 €9.79

-30.64%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$3.19 €2.74

58.93%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$2.45 €2.10

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.76 €1.52

-13.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$3.59 €3.09

129.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$3.39 €2.92

107.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.24 €1.06

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.98 €1.71

121.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$1.52 €1.31

292.11%

Eggs

$2.04 $2.04

$4.04 €3.47

-49.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$13.54 €11.64

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$8.39 €7.21

23.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.51 $19.51

$18.25 €15.69

6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$2.29 €1.97

171.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.74 €1.50

64.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.86 €1.60

125.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$2.63 €2.26

96.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.92 €1.65

56.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.09 €1.80

67.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.44 €1.24

71.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.84 €0.72

264.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.34 $17.34

$6.78 €5.83

155.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$5.71 €4.91

165.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.38 €1.18

28.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.22 €1.91

60.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.40 €2.06

-14.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$4.17 €3.59

-26.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.14 €0.98

92.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.94 $41.94

$17.68 €15.20

137.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.32 €2.00

-56.47%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$35.3K €30.4K

-0.68%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$41.4K €35.6K

-39.55%

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

$227 $227

$170 €146

33.28%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$19.34 €16.62

167.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 $50.6

$33.64 €28.92

50.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 $41.59

$48.10 €41.35

-13.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$20.28 $20.28

$9.92 €8.53

104.44%

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

$1,783 $1,783

$717 €617

148.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$17.5K €15.0K

-9.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 $77.8

$105 €90.1

-25.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 $40.07

$46.95 €40.36

-14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$103 €88.9

22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 $167

$124 €107

34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$1,677 €1,441

-3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,603 $2,603

$1,271 €1,093

104.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$2,985 €2,566

-17.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 $2,096

$1,992 €1,713

5.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,765 $2,765

$7,826 €6,728

-64.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,379 $2,379

$4,658 €4,004

-48.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

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 Somerset, NJ: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Somerset, NJ and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Somerset, NJ vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $439 vs $283, 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

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

Somerset, NJ and Lisbon differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($4,069 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $6,104 in Somerset, NJ and $3,474 in Lisbon 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: $1,612 in Somerset, 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 55% higher in Somerset, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,069 per month in Somerset, NJ versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 76% 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, Somerset, 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 76% less than in Somerset, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.