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: $3,457 in Saint Helier versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,153 in Saint Helier versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,849 in Saint Helier versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Saint Helier is roughly 49% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Helier 152% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.89 JEP 30.22

$17.30 €14.93

136.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 JEP 90.8

$63.3 €54.6

94.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 JEP 7.87

$11.39 €9.83

-6.50%

Cappuccino

$4.85 JEP 3.58

$3.19 €2.75

52.04%

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

$3.29 JEP 2.43

$2.45 €2.11

34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 JEP 1.89

$1.76 €1.52

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 JEP 5.86

$3.59 €3.10

121.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 JEP 4.85

$3.39 €2.93

93.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 JEP 1.64

$1.24 €1.07

79.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 JEP 2.12

$1.98 €1.71

44.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 JEP 2.84

$1.52 €1.31

152.63%

Eggs

$6.30 JEP 4.66

$4.04 €3.49

55.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 JEP 5.37

$13.54 €11.68

-46.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.09 JEP 8.93

$8.39 €7.24

44.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.02 JEP 14.06

$18.25 €15.75

4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 JEP 3.11

$2.29 €1.98

83.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.57 JEP 2.64

$1.74 €1.50

105.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 JEP 3.15

$1.86 €1.60

129.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 JEP 3.30

$2.63 €2.27

69.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 JEP 2.38

$1.92 €1.65

67.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 JEP 2.30

$2.09 €1.81

48.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 JEP 1.37

$1.44 €1.24

28.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 JEP 1.93

$0.84 €0.73

210.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.18 JEP 14.91

$6.78 €5.85

197.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 JEP 7.88

$5.71 €4.93

86.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 JEP 3.47

$1.38 €1.19

240.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 JEP 5.79

$2.22 €1.91

253.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 JEP 2.55

$2.40 €2.07

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 JEP 51.2

$46.78 €40.37

48.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 JEP 4.03

$4.17 €3.60

30.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 JEP 1.85

$1.14 €0.98

119.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$54.9 JEP 40.58

$17.68 €15.26

210.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 JEP 1.52

$2.32 €2.01

-11.21%

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

$27.0K JEP 20.0K

$35.3K €30.5K

-23.59%

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

$37.4K JEP 27.6K

$41.4K €35.8K

-9.85%

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

$322 JEP 238

$170 €147

88.82%

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

$46.56 JEP 34.41

$19.34 €16.69

140.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 JEP 55.4

$33.64 €29.03

122.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 JEP 57.1

$48.10 €41.50

60.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.70 JEP 21.21

$19.90 €17.17

44.22%

Cinema Ticket

$20.60 JEP 15.22

$9.92 €8.56

107.66%

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

$2,295 JEP 1,696

$717 €619

219.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K JEP 9,155

$17.5K €15.1K

-29.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 JEP 79.2

$105 €90.4

2.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.5 JEP 54.3

$46.95 €40.51

56.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 JEP 89.5

$103 €89.2

17.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$210 JEP 155

$124 €107

69.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 JEP 1,413

$1,677 €1,447

14.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 JEP 1,204

$1,271 €1,097

28.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,419 JEP 2,527

$2,985 €2,575

14.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,814 JEP 2,079

$1,992 €1,719

41.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K JEP 8,749

$7,826 €6,753

51.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K JEP 7,867

$4,658 €4,019

128.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,680 JEP 3,458

$1,583 €1,366

195.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.79

7.65%

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

Last update for Saint Helier: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,913 in Saint Helier and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 196% 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: $123 in Saint Helier vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $428 vs $283 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 49% in total monthly costs ($3,457 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 196% 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: $1,913 in Saint Helier versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,295 in Saint Helier versus $717 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% 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 49% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.