Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint John's Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint John's

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,730 in Saint John's.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $2,728 in Saint John's.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $3,727 in Saint John's.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 32% more expensive than in Saint John's, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Saint John's 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$13.91 EC$37.56

13.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$82.6 EC$223

-23.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$11.28 EC$30.45

-7.36%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$3.86 EC$10.43

-24.61%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.10 EC$5.66

9.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.99 EC$2.68

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$1.82 EC$4.92

95.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$4.56 EC$12.32

-13.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.26 EC$6.11

-52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.71 EC$7.31

-35.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.82 EC$4.90

-6.59%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$5.44 EC$14.69

-40.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$8.12 EC$21.93

63.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$8.33 EC$22.50

-7.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$6.51 EC$17.57

-64.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$2.42 EC$6.55

-31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$8.06 EC$21.77

-74.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$8.27 EC$22.34

-70.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$2.94 EC$7.94

-39.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$2.93 EC$7.92

-29.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.52 EC$6.79

-21.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$1.87 EC$5.05

-55.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$9.20 EC$24.84

-39.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$2.74 EC$7.40

-51.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$3.60 EC$9.72

-16.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.00 EC$2.70

127.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$5.42 EC$14.63

-21.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$5.69 EC$15.38

-85.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$19.86 EC$53.6

-5.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.69 EC$4.57

19.53%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$24.0K EC$64.8K

45.63%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$20.8K EC$56.2K

90.49%

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

$148 €129

$131 EC$353

13.12%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$40.15 EC$108

-48.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$73.2 EC$198

-45.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$65.6 EC$177

-26.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

$36.64 EC$98.9

-49.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$5.93 EC$16.01

53.46%

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

$615 €536

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$1,836 EC$4,958

786.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$74.2 EC$200

24.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$1,090 EC$2,943

47.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$732 EC$1,977

71.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$1,671 EC$4,512

83.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$1,487 EC$4,014

37.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$1,354 EC$3,656

18.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.5

-30.73%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Saint John's: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $1,090 in Saint John's. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 18% 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 $83.0 in Saint John's for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $352 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 John's: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saint John's differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $1,730 including rent). Saint John's is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $1,090 in Saint John's. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint John's – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $1,730 in Saint John's – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,730 in Saint John's versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Saint John's but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saint John's the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 John's 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 Saint John's gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.