Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helier and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $3,362 in Saint Helier, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Saint Helier
🇯🇪 Jersey
$3,362
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Helier and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint Helier and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,362 in Saint Helier versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Saint Helier $3,362
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,954 in Saint Helier versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Saint Helier $4,954
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,547 in Saint Helier versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Saint Helier $6,547
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Saint Helier is roughly 51% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Helier 149% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$39.19 JEP 29.43
$16.50 €14.67
137.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$119 JEP 89.3
$61.3 €54.5
94.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.44 JEP 7.84
$11.27 €10.03
-7.36%
Cappuccino
$4.85 JEP 3.64
$3.06 €2.72
58.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 JEP 2.51
$2.26 €2.01
48.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 JEP 1.91
$1.73 €1.54
47.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.77 JEP 5.84
$3.39 €3.02
129.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.35 JEP 4.77
$3.40 €3.02
86.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.21 JEP 1.66
$1.12 €1.00
97.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 JEP 2.03
$1.86 €1.65
45.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.64 JEP 2.73
$1.53 €1.36
137.91%
Eggs
$6.38 JEP 4.79
$3.96 €3.53
61.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.25 JEP 5.44
$12.76 €11.35
-43.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.69 JEP 8.78
$7.90 €7.02
47.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.34 JEP 13.77
$16.97 €15.09
8.07%
Apples (1kg)
$4.26 JEP 3.20
$2.27 €2.02
87.67%
Banana (1kg)
$3.41 JEP 2.56
$1.75 €1.55
94.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.07 JEP 3.05
$1.85 €1.64
120.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.36 JEP 3.28
$2.57 €2.28
69.65%
Potato (1kg)
$3.12 JEP 2.35
$1.86 €1.65
67.74%
Onion (1kg)
$3.16 JEP 2.37
$2.02 €1.80
56.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.88 JEP 1.41
$1.44 €1.28
30.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 JEP 1.84
$0.82 €0.73
197.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.79 JEP 14.87
$6.56 €5.83
201.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.74 JEP 8.07
$5.62 €5.00
91.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.75 JEP 3.57
$1.28 €1.14
271.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.86 JEP 5.91
$2.07 €1.84
279.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.36 JEP 2.53
$2.35 €2.09
42.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.4 JEP 52.1
$44.18 €39.30
57.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.29 JEP 3.97
$3.99 €3.55
32.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 JEP 1.88
$1.09 €0.97
130.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$53.2 JEP 39.98
$16.64 €14.81
219.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 JEP 1.54
$2.28 €2.03
-10.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K JEP 20.2K
$33.7K €30.0K
-20.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K JEP 27.2K
$39.3K €35.0K
-7.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$315 JEP 236
$167 €149
87.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.73 JEP 33.59
$18.80 €16.72
137.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.8 JEP 54.7
$33.09 €29.43
119.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$75.9 JEP 57.0
$46.01 €40.93
64.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.43 JEP 21.35
$19.19 €17.07
48.15%
Cinema Ticket
$19.51 JEP 14.65
$9.84 €8.75
98.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,670 JEP 2,006
$677 €602
294.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K JEP 8,868
$16.9K €15.1K
-30.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 JEP 77.5
$101 €90.1
1.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$73.7 JEP 55.3
$45.76 €40.70
61.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 JEP 88.1
$100.0 €88.9
17.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$209 JEP 157
$123 €109
70.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,846 JEP 1,386
$1,614 €1,436
14.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,592 JEP 1,195
$1,197 €1,065
32.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,297 JEP 2,476
$2,862 €2,545
15.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,549 JEP 1,914
$1,990 €1,770
28.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.4K JEP 8,558
$7,577 €6,740
50.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$10.4K JEP 7,806
$4,307 €3,831
141.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint Helier
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,609 JEP 3,461
$1,588 €1,412
190.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
3.85
5.97%

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

Last update for Saint Helier: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saint Helier
$1.6K
Lisbon
$1.2K 24.8% $395
Eating Out
Saint Helier
$478
Lisbon
$242 49.4% $236
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Helier
$432
Lisbon
$219 49.2% $213
Groceries & Markets
Saint Helier
$418
Lisbon
$269 35.5% $148
Clothing & Footwear
Saint Helier
$226
Lisbon
$166 26.5% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Saint Helier
$115
Lisbon
$66 42.8% $49
Getting Around
Saint Helier
$101
Lisbon
$63 37.4% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,846 in Saint Helier and $1,614 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: $119 in Saint Helier vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇪 Saint Helier
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
00:41 12:41 AM
00:41 12:41 AM
Same time as Saint Helier
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,522 Capital
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to JEP – Jersey Pound Converter

Jersey Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.751 JEP (1 JEP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.844 JEP (1 JEP = 1.18 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saint Helier Lisbon 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saint Helier
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Saint Helier and in Lisbon?
Saint Helier and Lisbon differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($3,362 vs $2,223 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Saint Helier or Lisbon?
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.
How do apartment prices compare in Saint Helier and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,846 in Saint Helier versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Saint Helier and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $2,670 in Saint Helier versus $677 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Saint Helier. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $3,362 in Saint Helier, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Saint Helier. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Saint Helier and Lisbon?
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.
Is Saint Helier or Lisbon safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Saint Helier or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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