Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint Helier Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint Helier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $3,315 in Saint Helier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $5,404 in Saint Helier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $7,493 in Saint Helier.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 33% less than in Saint Helier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Saint Helier 147% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$37.77 JEP 28.06

-57.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$138 JEP 103

-53.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$11.01 JEP 8.18

-4.54%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$5.11 JEP 3.80

-43.84%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.15 JEP 2.34

-28.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.57 JEP 1.91

-41.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$8.24 JEP 6.12

-57.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$8.37 JEP 6.22

-53.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.24 JEP 1.67

-49.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.31 JEP 1.72

-24.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.44 JEP 2.56

-48.84%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$5.98 JEP 4.44

-46.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.25 JEP 6.87

45.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$11.69 JEP 8.69

-32.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$19.10 JEP 14.19

-16.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.35 JEP 3.24

-46.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$3.16 JEP 2.35

-46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$4.31 JEP 3.20

-53.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$4.15 JEP 3.08

-40.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$4.05 JEP 3.01

-54.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$3.92 JEP 2.91

-48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.04 JEP 1.52

-5.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.45 JEP 1.82

-67.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$15.74 JEP 11.70

-58.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$10.62 JEP 7.89

-46.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$4.51 JEP 3.35

-69.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$7.35 JEP 5.46

-59.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.05 JEP 2.27

-22.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$69.2 JEP 51.4

-34.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$6.26 JEP 4.65

-31.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.92 JEP 2.91

-79.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$33.52 JEP 24.90

-45.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.17 JEP 1.61

-5.07%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$22.6K JEP 16.8K

51.96%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$33.3K JEP 24.7K

17.99%

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

$148 €127

$242 JEP 180

-38.90%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$24.99 JEP 18.57

-17.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$75.0 JEP 55.7

-47.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$69.0 JEP 51.3

-30.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$25.09 JEP 18.64

-24.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$21.07 JEP 15.66

-56.43%

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

$614 €528

$2,217 JEP 1,647

-72.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$17.3K JEP 12.9K

-7.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$109 JEP 80.8

-3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$71.7 JEP 53.3

-41.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$129 JEP 95.8

-27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$215 JEP 160

-44.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$2,030 JEP 1,508

-19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,650 JEP 1,226

-23.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$3,871 JEP 2,876

-21.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$3,538 JEP 2,629

-42.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$11.9K JEP 8,831

-34.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$10.4K JEP 7,759

-59.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$4,831 JEP 3,590

-66.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.85

-1.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $2,030 in Saint Helier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 201% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $138 in Saint Helier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $421 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 Saint Helier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saint Helier differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $3,315 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Saint Helier earns 201% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $2,030 in Saint Helier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $2,217 in Saint Helier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Saint Helier. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 Saint Helier 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 50% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.