Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St Helens and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in St Helens: $1,993 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

St Helens
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$1,993
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St Helens 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 St Helens and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,993 in St Helens versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • St Helens $1,993
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,045 in St Helens versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • St Helens $3,045
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,098 in St Helens versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • St Helens $4,098
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in St Helens costs roughly 10% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St Helens 48% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.90 £20.18
$16.50 €14.67
63.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.6 £59.0
$61.3 €54.5
28.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.48 £7.86
$11.27 €10.03
-7.01%
Cappuccino
$4.08 £3.06
$3.06 €2.72
33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 £1.78
$2.26 €2.01
4.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 £1.50
$1.73 €1.54
15.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.36 £4.02
$3.39 €3.02
58.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 £3.41
$3.40 €3.02
33.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 £1.01
$1.12 €1.00
19.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 £1.33
$1.86 €1.65
-4.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 £1.46
$1.53 €1.36
26.80%
Eggs
$4.01 £3.01
$3.96 €3.53
1.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.00 £6.75
$12.76 €11.35
-29.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.28 £6.21
$7.90 €7.02
4.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 £7.99
$16.97 €15.09
-37.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.25 £2.44
$2.27 €2.02
43.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 £0.97
$1.75 €1.55
-25.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.03 £2.27
$1.85 €1.64
63.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.45 £2.59
$2.57 €2.28
34.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 £0.86
$1.86 €1.65
-38.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.83 £1.37
$2.02 €1.80
-9.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 £0.98
$1.44 €1.28
-9.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 £0.98
$0.82 €0.73
58.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.59 £14.70
$6.56 €5.83
198.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.96 £7.47
$5.62 €5.00
77.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.86 £2.14
$1.28 €1.14
123.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 £1.95
$2.07 €1.84
26.09%
🚌 Getting Around
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.65 £1.99
$2.35 €2.09
12.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$100 £75.1
$44.18 €39.30
126.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.37 £2.53
$3.99 €3.55
-15.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.07 £1.56
$1.09 €0.97
89.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.82 £11.87
$16.64 €14.81
-4.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.94 £1.46
$2.28 €2.03
-14.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K £19.8K
$33.7K €30.0K
-21.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6K £25.2K
$39.3K €35.0K
-14.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$365 £274
$167 €149
117.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.20 £12.91
$18.80 €16.72
-8.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.87 £32.91
$33.09 €29.43
32.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.94 £20.21
$46.01 €40.93
-41.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.85 £2.89
$19.19 €17.07
-79.94%
Cinema Ticket
$13.42 £10.07
$9.84 €8.75
36.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$805 £604
$677 €602
18.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,625 £4,971
$16.9K €15.1K
-60.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.0 £48.78
$101 €90.1
-35.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.08 £29.32
$45.76 €40.70
-14.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.3 £54.3
$100.0 €88.9
-27.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 £81.7
$123 €109
-11.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$797 £598
$1,614 €1,436
-50.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$636 £477
$1,197 €1,065
-46.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,503 £1,128
$2,862 €2,545
-47.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,257 £943
$1,990 €1,770
-36.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,315 £2,487
$7,577 €6,740
-56.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,308 £1,731
$4,307 €3,831
-46.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St Helens
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,863 £1,398
$1,588 €1,412
17.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.21
3.85
35.32%

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

Last update for St Helens: 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
St Helens
$636
Lisbon
$1.2K 88.3% $561
Monthly Utilities & Internet
St Helens
$426
Lisbon
$219 48.5% $206
Eating Out
St Helens
$349
Lisbon
$242 30.6% $107
Groceries & Markets
St Helens
$276
Lisbon
$269 2.4% $6.7
Clothing & Footwear
St Helens
$128
Lisbon
$166 29.6% $38
Getting Around
St Helens
$124
Lisbon
$63 49.4% $61
Sport & Entertainment
St Helens
$54
Lisbon
$66 22.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $797 in St Helens and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St Helens pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in St Helens vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 St Helens
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
00:08 12:08 AM
00:08 12:08 AM
Same time as St Helens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
183,200
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • St Helens Lisbon 1,710 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • St Helens
  • 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
St Helens vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in St Helens and in Lisbon?
St Helens and Lisbon differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,993 vs $2,223 including rent). St Helens is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: St Helens or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 17% higher in St Helens, 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 St Helens and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $797 in St Helens 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 St Helens and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $805 in St Helens 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?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,993 in St Helens versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in St Helens but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes St Helens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between St Helens 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 St Helens or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, St Helens 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: St Helens or Lisbon?
Expats usually find St Helens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

St Helens vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?