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: $1,857 in Saint John's versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,872 in Saint John's versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,887 in Saint John's versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Saint John's costs roughly 18% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John's 35% above, Lisbon 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.01 EC$59.4

$17.55 €15.12

25.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 EC$200

$64.5 €55.6

14.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 EC$29.48

$11.65 €10.04

-6.27%

Cappuccino

$3.78 EC$10.20

$3.26 €2.81

15.95%

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

$1.97 EC$5.32

$2.49 €2.15

-20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 EC$2.43

$1.67 €1.44

-46.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$3.47 €2.99

-47.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 EC$12.30

$3.58 €3.08

27.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 EC$6.07

$1.18 €1.02

90.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 EC$7.43

$1.95 €1.68

41.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.56 €1.35

21.79%

Eggs

$6.78 EC$18.30

$4.01 €3.46

69.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$13.27 €11.44

-39.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 EC$22.47

$8.42 €7.26

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 EC$18.06

$2.32 €2.00

188.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 EC$6.80

$1.73 €1.49

45.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.28 EC$22.35

$1.93 €1.67

329.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.11 EC$21.90

$2.64 €2.27

207.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 EC$7.68

$1.90 €1.64

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 EC$7.76

$2.11 €1.82

36.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 EC$6.79

$1.44 €1.24

74.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 EC$4.29

$0.80 €0.69

98.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

Wine (Bottle)

$5.60 EC$15.12

$5.92 €5.11

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$1.36 €1.18

111.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 EC$11.67

$2.15 €1.85

100.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 EC$4.40

$2.25 €1.94

-27.56%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$256 EC$690

$171 €147

49.61%

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

$41.37 EC$112

$19.01 €16.38

117.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 EC$221

$34.28 €29.55

139.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 EC$177

$49.65 €42.80

32.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 EC$16.73

$10.10 €8.71

-38.61%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,836 EC$4,956

$17.8K €15.3K

-89.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 EC$136

$105 €90.2

-51.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 EC$196

$102 €87.8

-28.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 EC$2,849

$1,661 €1,432

-36.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 EC$1,834

$1,228 €1,059

-44.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 EC$4,510

$2,915 €2,513

-42.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 EC$3,966

$2,023 €1,744

-27.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 EC$3,688

$1,619 €1,396

-15.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

3.78

45.50%

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

Last update for Saint John's: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Saint John's and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 19% 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: $74.0 in Saint John's vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $281 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,857 vs $2,268 including rent). Saint John's is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Lisbon. 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: $1,055 in Saint John's versus $1,661 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 $74.0 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,857 per month in Saint John's versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,857 in Saint John's versus $2,268 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 22% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.