Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,153 in St John versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,797 in St John versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,442 in St John versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

Living in St John is roughly 41% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St John 135% above, Lisbon 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 $17.21

$15.73 €13.42

9.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$163 $163

$63.2 €53.9

158.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.37 $8.37

$10.32 €8.80

-18.90%

Cappuccino

$6.48 $6.48

$2.81 €2.40

130.60%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$2.33 €1.99

29.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.51 €1.29

36.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 $6.34

$3.37 €2.87

88.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$3.91 €3.34

79.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.08 €0.92

167.59%

White Bread (500g)

$5.63 $5.63

$1.75 €1.49

221.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.75 €1.50

-13.71%

Eggs

$6.58 $6.58

$3.10 €2.64

112.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 $17.69

$13.28 €11.33

33.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.27 $26.27

$7.85 €6.70

234.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

Banana (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.72 €1.47

196.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

Tomato (1kg)

$9.03 $9.03

$2.55 €2.17

254.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.97 €1.68

122.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.85 $4.85

$1.96 €1.67

147.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$2.92 €2.49

106.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.29 €1.95

154.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$46.88 €39.99

196.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.81 €0.69

277.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.09 €1.78

-22.97%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

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

$22.6K $22.6K

$39.7K €33.9K

-43.05%

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

$249 $249

$150 €128

66.68%

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

$20.49 €17.48

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 $59.9

$39.15 €33.40

53.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

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

$624 €533

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K $13.7K

$15.9K €13.6K

-13.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 $98.9

$102 €87.2

-3.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 $60.4

$40.88 €34.87

47.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 $50.1

$95.7 €81.6

-47.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 $50.2

$121 €103

-58.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,179 $2,179

$1,653 €1,410

31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 $1,816

$1,233 €1,051

47.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,020 $3,020

$2,059 €1,756

46.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K $13.1K

$7,879 €6,720

66.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,059 $4,059

$1,566 €1,336

159.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

3.81

85.04%

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

Last update for St John: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,179 in St John and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 159% 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: $163 in St John vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $270 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

St John vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St John and Lisbon differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($3,153 vs $2,243 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

St John pays 159% more on average, 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: $2,179 in St John versus $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in St John. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,153 per month in St John versus $2,243 in Lisbon – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, St John 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 41% less than in St John. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.