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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,333 in Saint Helier versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,458 in Saint Helier versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,584 in Saint Helier versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Saint Helier is roughly 45% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Helier 149% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.81 JEP 27.39

$16.19 €14.15

127.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$135 JEP 100

$63.3 €55.3

113.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 JEP 8.05

$10.32 €9.02

4.84%

Cappuccino

$5.04 JEP 3.75

$2.83 €2.47

78.09%

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

$3.25 JEP 2.42

$2.29 €2.00

41.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 JEP 1.90

$1.58 €1.38

61.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 JEP 5.99

$3.40 €2.97

136.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 JEP 6.07

$4.03 €3.52

102.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 JEP 1.68

$1.09 €0.95

107.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 JEP 1.78

$1.75 €1.53

36.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 JEP 2.65

$1.76 €1.54

102.27%

Eggs

$5.87 JEP 4.37

$3.17 €2.77

85.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 JEP 6.90

$13.19 €11.53

-29.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 JEP 8.62

$7.97 €6.96

45.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.44 JEP 14.46

$15.53 €13.57

25.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 JEP 3.32

$2.37 €2.07

88.19%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 JEP 2.42

$1.71 €1.49

90.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 JEP 3.21

$2.01 €1.75

114.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 JEP 3.20

$2.43 €2.12

76.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 JEP 2.87

$1.76 €1.54

119.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.94 JEP 2.93

$2.03 €1.78

94.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 JEP 1.50

$1.92 €1.68

5.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 JEP 1.82

$0.85 €0.74

188.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 JEP 11.45

$6.58 €5.75

134.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 JEP 7.85

$5.58 €4.87

89.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 JEP 3.40

$1.33 €1.16

244.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.60 JEP 5.65

$2.97 €2.60

155.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 JEP 2.31

$2.28 €1.99

36.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 JEP 50.8

$45.79 €40.01

49.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 JEP 4.48

$4.23 €3.69

42.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.80 JEP 2.82

$0.81 €0.71

369.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.75 JEP 25.11

$18.44 €16.11

83.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 JEP 1.65

$2.08 €1.82

6.25%

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

$22.4K JEP 16.7K

$34.7K €30.3K

-35.43%

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

$33.8K JEP 25.1K

$39.2K €34.2K

-13.71%

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

$247 JEP 184

$148 €129

66.62%

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

$25.30 JEP 18.82

$20.46 €17.88

23.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 JEP 56.8

$39.56 €34.56

93.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 JEP 51.9

$47.99 €41.93

45.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.72 JEP 18.39

$18.60 €16.25

32.90%

Cinema Ticket

$21.47 JEP 15.97

$9.22 €8.06

132.86%

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

$2,208 JEP 1,643

$616 €538

258.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K JEP 13.0K

$16.4K €14.4K

5.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 JEP 80.3

$103 €89.7

5.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.6 JEP 54.7

$41.74 €36.47

76.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 JEP 96.1

$94.8 €82.8

36.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 JEP 158

$122 €107

74.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 JEP 1,487

$1,633 €1,426

22.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 JEP 1,225

$1,232 €1,077

33.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,867 JEP 2,877

$3,098 €2,707

24.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,473 JEP 2,584

$2,031 €1,775

70.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K JEP 8,599

$7,831 €6,842

47.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.3K JEP 7,643

$4,389 €3,835

134.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,665 JEP 3,471

$1,607 €1,404

190.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

3.81

1.05%

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

Last update for Saint Helier: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,999 in Saint Helier and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 190% 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: $135 in Saint Helier vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $425 vs $267 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

Saint Helier vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Helier and Lisbon differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($3,333 vs $2,291 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 190% higher in Saint Helier, 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: $1,999 in Saint Helier versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,208 in Saint Helier versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% 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, Saint Helier and Lisbon 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 45% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.