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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,857 in Saint John's.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,872 in Saint John's.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,887 in Saint John's.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 22% more expensive than in Saint John's, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Saint John's 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$22.01 EC$59.4

-20.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$74.0 EC$200

-12.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$10.92 EC$29.48

6.68%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.78 EC$10.20

-13.76%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.97 EC$5.32

26.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.90 EC$2.43

85.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.82 EC$4.92

90.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.56 EC$12.30

-21.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.25 EC$6.07

-47.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.75 EC$7.43

-29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.90 EC$5.12

-17.89%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$6.78 EC$18.30

-40.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$8.06 EC$21.77

64.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$8.32 EC$22.47

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$6.69 EC$18.06

-65.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.52 EC$6.80

-31.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$8.28 EC$22.35

-76.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$8.11 EC$21.90

-67.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.85 EC$7.68

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.87 EC$7.76

-26.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.51 EC$6.79

-42.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.59 EC$4.29

-49.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$5.60 EC$15.12

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.88 EC$7.78

-52.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$4.32 EC$11.67

-50.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.63 EC$4.40

38.04%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

$256 EC$690

-33.16%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$41.37 EC$112

-54.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$82.0 EC$221

-58.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$65.7 EC$177

-24.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$6.20 EC$16.73

62.90%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,836 EC$4,956

867.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$50.4 EC$136

107.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$72.8 EC$196

40.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$1,055 EC$2,849

57.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$679 EC$1,834

80.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,670 EC$4,510

74.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,469 EC$3,966

37.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,366 EC$3,688

18.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.5

-31.27%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Saint John's: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $1,055 in Saint John's. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 19% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $74.0 in Saint John's for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $350 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 22% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,857 including rent). Saint John's is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $1,055 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 $74.0 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,857 in Saint John's – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,857 in Saint John's versus $2,268 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 22% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.