Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,671 in Saint John's versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Saint John's versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,772 in Saint John's versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Saint John's costs roughly 25% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John's 25% above, Lisbon 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.82 EC$37.32

$16.17 €13.81

-14.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 EC$224

$64.6 €55.1

28.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 EC$29.55

$10.38 €8.86

5.39%

Cappuccino

$4.00 EC$10.81

$2.77 €2.37

44.40%

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

$2.05 EC$5.53

$2.25 €1.92

-8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 EC$2.47

$1.57 €1.34

-42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 EC$4.95

$3.49 €2.98

-47.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 EC$11.76

$4.00 €3.42

8.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 EC$6.05

$1.08 €0.93

107.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 EC$7.64

$1.74 €1.49

62.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.74 €1.48

9.20%

Eggs

$5.35 EC$14.44

$3.18 €2.71

68.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 EC$22.25

$13.43 €11.47

-38.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 EC$22.17

$7.99 €6.83

2.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

Apples (1kg)

$6.51 EC$17.57

$2.28 €1.95

185.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 EC$6.49

$1.72 €1.47

39.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$1.94 €1.66

315.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.21 EC$22.17

$2.54 €2.17

223.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$1.83 €1.56

57.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.92

$2.04 €1.74

43.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 EC$7.06

$1.98 €1.69

32.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 EC$4.87

$0.85 €0.73

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 EC$24.77

$5.78 €4.93

58.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 EC$7.24

$1.37 €1.17

95.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 EC$10.18

$2.90 €2.48

30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 EC$2.80

$2.28 €1.95

-54.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 EC$14.67

$4.08 €3.48

33.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.70 EC$15.39

$0.82 €0.70

595.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.66 EC$53.1

$18.27 €15.60

7.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 EC$4.72

$2.01 €1.71

-12.94%

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

$24.1K EC$65.2K

$35.3K €30.1K

-31.55%

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

$20.7K EC$55.9K

$38.5K €32.9K

-46.25%

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

$130 EC$352

$145 €124

-10.30%

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

$40.98 EC$111

$20.96 €17.90

95.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 EC$195

$40.05 €34.21

80.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 EC$174

$48.79 €41.66

32.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.92 EC$99.7

$18.69 €15.97

97.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 EC$16.34

$9.06 €7.74

-33.22%

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

$607 €518

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,831 EC$4,945

$16.3K €13.9K

-88.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 EC$198

$93.6 €79.9

-21.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 EC$2,992

$1,604 €1,370

-30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 EC$2,030

$1,236 €1,055

-39.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 EC$4,442

$3,046 €2,601

-45.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 EC$4,035

$2,057 €1,756

-27.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,361 EC$3,675

$1,584 €1,353

-14.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

3.81

44.36%

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

Last update for Saint John's: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,108 in Saint John's and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 16% 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: $83.0 in Saint John's vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $271 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 John's vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John's and Lisbon differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,671 vs $2,227 including rent). Saint John's is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 16% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,108 in Saint John's versus $1,604 in Lisbon. 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 $83.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,671 per month in Saint John's versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,671 in Saint John's versus $2,227 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, Saint John's 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 Saint John's gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.