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

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $887 per month in Saint Helena vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,421 per month in Saint Helena vs $3,217 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,955 per month in Saint Helena vs $4,249 in Australia, rent included.

Saint Helena is roughly 59% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Saint Helena sits 34% below the global median, while Australia is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,584–$2,827) than Saint Helena ($520–$1,254), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.27 SHP 12.04

$16.24 A$22.57

0.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 SHP 39.52

$77.1 A$107

-30.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 SHP 9.02

$9.81 A$13.64

24.36%

Cappuccino

$3.11 SHP 2.30

$3.58 A$4.97

-13.13%

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

$1.22 SHP 0.90

$2.57 A$3.57

-52.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 SHP 0.87

$2.18 A$3.03

-45.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.62 SHP 3.42

$6.63 A$9.22

-30.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SHP 2.00

$7.12 A$9.90

-62.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 SHP 1.39

$1.50 A$2.09

25.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 SHP 1.35

$2.53 A$3.51

-28.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 SHP 1.03

$2.07 A$2.88

-32.85%

Eggs

$4.17 SHP 3.08

$4.29 A$5.96

-2.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 SHP 6.09

$8.65 A$12.02

-4.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 SHP 7.98

$8.34 A$11.60

29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 SHP 8.03

$13.90 A$19.33

-21.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.58

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.85

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.10

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.83

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.36

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.92

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 SHP 2.05

$2.26 A$3.14

22.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 SHP 1.70

$1.50 A$2.09

53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 SHP 8.50

$31.58 A$43.90

-63.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.64 SHP 11.57

$14.29 A$19.86

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.59 A$6.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 A$6.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 A$4.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.39 SHP 30.63

$98.3 A$137

-57.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SHP 1.99

$3.48 A$4.84

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 A$2.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.97 A$52.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.57 SHP 1.90

$1.21 A$1.68

112.40%

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

$29.0K A$40.4K

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

$22.6K A$31.4K

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

$177 A$247

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

$26.85 A$37.32

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$167 SHP 123

$52.4 A$72.9

217.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.57 SHP 10.04

$47.57 A$66.1

-71.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.46 A$22.88

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 A$19.09

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

$1,593 A$2,215

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$17.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.34 SHP 30.59

$72.0 A$100

-42.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.49 SHP 15.16

$51.3 A$71.3

-60.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.35 SHP 35.04

$103 A$143

-54.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$151

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 SHP 520

$1,401 A$1,947

-49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 SHP 461

$1,080 A$1,501

-42.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 SHP 519

$2,340 A$3,253

-70.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 SHP 479

$1,756 A$2,441

-63.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,733 A$10.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,563 A$7,733

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 SHP 592

$4,000 A$5,560

-80.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

6.35

-2.36%

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

Last update for Saint Helena: April 27, 2026

Last update for Australia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $718 in Saint Helena vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $676 in Jamestown and $1,529 in Canberra.

Average salary: $799 in Saint Helena vs $3,878 in Australia. 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 385% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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

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

Saint Helena is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 149% 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 149% 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.