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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $3,457 in Saint Helier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $5,153 in Saint Helier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $6,849 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 69% above, Saint Helier 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$40.89 JEP 30.22

-57.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$123 JEP 90.8

-48.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$10.65 JEP 7.87

6.95%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$4.85 JEP 3.58

-34.23%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$3.29 JEP 2.43

-25.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.56 JEP 1.89

-31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$7.94 JEP 5.86

-54.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$6.56 JEP 4.85

-48.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$2.22 JEP 1.64

-44.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.87 JEP 2.12

-31.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$3.84 JEP 2.84

-60.42%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$6.30 JEP 4.66

-35.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$7.26 JEP 5.37

86.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$12.09 JEP 8.93

-30.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$19.02 JEP 14.06

-4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$4.21 JEP 3.11

-45.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$3.57 JEP 2.64

-51.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$4.26 JEP 3.15

-56.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$4.46 JEP 3.30

-41.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.22 JEP 2.38

-40.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$3.11 JEP 2.30

-32.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.85 JEP 1.37

-22.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.61 JEP 1.93

-67.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$20.18 JEP 14.91

-66.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$10.66 JEP 7.88

-46.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$4.70 JEP 3.47

-70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$7.84 JEP 5.79

-71.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$3.45 JEP 2.55

-30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

$69.3 JEP 51.2

-32.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$5.46 JEP 4.03

-23.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.50 JEP 1.85

-54.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$54.9 JEP 40.58

-67.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$2.06 JEP 1.52

12.62%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$27.0K JEP 20.0K

30.87%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$37.4K JEP 27.6K

10.93%

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

$170 €147

$322 JEP 238

-47.04%

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

$19.34 €16.69

$46.56 JEP 34.41

-58.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$75.0 JEP 55.4

-55.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$77.2 JEP 57.1

-37.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

$28.70 JEP 21.21

-30.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$20.60 JEP 15.22

-51.84%

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

$717 €619

$2,295 JEP 1,696

-68.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$12.4K JEP 9,155

41.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$107 JEP 79.2

-2.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$73.5 JEP 54.3

-36.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$121 JEP 89.5

-14.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$210 JEP 155

-41.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$1,913 JEP 1,413

-12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$1,629 JEP 1,204

-21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$3,419 JEP 2,527

-12.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$2,814 JEP 2,079

-29.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$11.8K JEP 8,749

-33.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$10.6K JEP 7,867

-56.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$4,680 JEP 3,458

-66.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

4.08

-7.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $1,913 in Saint Helier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 196% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $123 in Saint Helier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $428 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 49% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $3,457 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 196% lower in Saint Helier. 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $1,913 in Saint Helier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $2,295 in Saint Helier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% 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 49% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.