Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Saint Helena Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Saint Helena

Name: Saint Helena
Address: SH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,181 per month in Australia vs $877 in Saint Helena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,218 per month in Australia vs $1,429 in Saint Helena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,254 per month in Australia vs $1,981 in Saint Helena, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 149% higher than in Saint Helena on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 64% above the global median, while Saint Helena is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,595–$2,799) than in Saint Helena ($514–$1,240), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.66

$16.47 SHP 12.20

-3.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 A$112

$53.8 SHP 39.85

46.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 A$13.74

$12.10 SHP 8.96

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$3.58 A$5.08

$3.12 SHP 2.31

14.74%

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

$2.56 A$3.64

$1.22 SHP 0.90

109.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.15

$1.12 SHP 0.83

98.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 A$8.99

$4.68 SHP 3.47

35.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 A$9.86

$2.59 SHP 1.92

168.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 A$2.22

$1.92 SHP 1.42

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.59

$1.83 SHP 1.36

38.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.83

$1.38 SHP 1.02

44.93%

Eggs

$4.26 A$6.05

$4.33 SHP 3.21

-1.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 A$12.42

$8.03 SHP 5.95

8.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.68

$10.73 SHP 7.95

-23.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 A$20.08

$11.09 SHP 8.22

27.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.63

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$3.99

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.26

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 A$6.12

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.62

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 A$3.07

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.15

$2.75 SHP 2.04

-19.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.17

$2.30 SHP 1.71

-33.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.28 A$44.38

$11.42 SHP 8.46

173.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 A$20.00

$15.70 SHP 11.63

-10.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.44 A$6.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 A$6.96

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 A$4.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.9 A$136

$40.65 SHP 30.11

135.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 A$4.95

$2.67 SHP 1.98

30.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.26 A$52.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.66

$2.57 SHP 1.91

-54.47%

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

$28.7K A$40.8K

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

$22.5K A$31.9K

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

$173 A$246

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

$26.62 A$37.77

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 A$75.3

$164 SHP 122

-67.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.82 A$66.4

$13.65 SHP 10.11

243.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 A$23.25

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 A$19.24

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

$1,571 A$2,229

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K A$17.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 A$102

$41.16 SHP 30.49

75.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 A$73.2

$20.65 SHP 15.30

149.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$144

$48.39 SHP 35.85

109.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 A$1,984

$713 SHP 528

96.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 A$1,541

$623 SHP 462

74.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 A$3,223

$707 SHP 524

221.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 A$2,485

$659 SHP 488

165.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,955 A$11.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,978 A$8,483

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,053 A$5,751

$784 SHP 581

417.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.2

2.42%

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

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Last update for Saint Helena: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,230 in Australia vs $715 in Saint Helena. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,557 in Canberra and $673 in Jamestown.

Average salary: $3,808 in Australia vs $764 in Saint Helena. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 72% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 33% more in Australia.

Public transport is 63% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 398% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

Australia vs Saint Helena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Helena is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 151% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Saint Helena, contributing to the overall 151% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Saint Helena, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Saint Helena is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.