Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Saint Helena Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Saint Helena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,360 in United Kingdom versus $887 in Saint Helena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,471 in United Kingdom versus $1,421 in Saint Helena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,581 in United Kingdom versus $1,955 in Saint Helena.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 166% more expensive than Saint Helena on average.

United Kingdom (76% above) and Saint Helena (34% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,688 to $4,005, compared to $520$1,254 in Saint Helena. City choice carries more weight in United Kingdom.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.50 £15.19
$16.27 SHP 12.05
26.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.6 £66.4
$53.4 SHP 39.57
67.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.05 £7.45
$12.20 SHP 9.04
-17.62%
Cappuccino
$4.53 £3.35
$3.11 SHP 2.31
45.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 £1.83
$1.22 SHP 0.90
102.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 £1.26
$1.18 SHP 0.87
44.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.61 £4.90
$4.62 SHP 3.43
43.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.48 £4.80
$2.70 SHP 2.00
140.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 £1.22
$1.88 SHP 1.40
-12.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 £1.26
$1.82 SHP 1.35
-6.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 £1.63
$1.39 SHP 1.03
58.27%
Eggs
$3.98 £2.95
$4.17 SHP 3.09
-4.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.62 £7.13
$8.23 SHP 6.10
16.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.02 £6.68
$10.78 SHP 7.99
-16.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.00 £10.38
$10.86 SHP 8.04
28.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 £2.28
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 £1.19
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.82 £2.09
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$3.58 £2.65
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 £1.19
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 £1.13
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 £0.86
$2.77 SHP 2.05
-58.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 £1.11
$2.30 SHP 1.71
-34.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.28 £15.03
$11.49 SHP 8.51
76.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.76 £7.97
$15.64 SHP 11.59
-31.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 £2.15
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 £2.43
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.25 £2.41
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.6 £71.6
$41.39 SHP 30.67
133.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 £4.01
$2.69 SHP 1.99
101.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 £1.15
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.40 £20.31
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 £1.48
$2.57 SHP 1.90
-22.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £28.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K £29.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$324 £240
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.16 £12.71
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.46 £31.46
$167 SHP 123
-74.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.45 £34.42
$13.57 SHP 10.06
242.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.23 £12.03
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.44 £9.96
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,720 £1,275
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.1K £15.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.6 £66.4
$41.34 SHP 30.63
116.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.89 £32.52
$20.49 SHP 15.18
114.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 £74.7
$47.35 SHP 35.09
112.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 £78.2
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,396 £1,034
$703 SHP 521
98.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 £834
$623 SHP 462
80.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,346 £1,738
$701 SHP 519
234.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,877 £1,391
$647 SHP 480
189.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,923 £4,389
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,613 £3,418
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Saint Helena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,374 £2,500
$799 SHP 592
322.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
6.2
-7.26%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: April 28, 2026

Last update for Saint Helena: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,267 in United Kingdom, $718 in Saint Helena. Capital cities: $3,034 in London vs $676 in Jamestown.

National salary averages: $3,209 in United Kingdom, $799 in Saint Helena. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 76% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 45% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 127% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 302% higher in United Kingdom, giving United Kingdom stronger purchasing power.

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
United Kingdom vs Saint Helena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Saint Helena and United Kingdom?
At $887 per month in Saint Helena and $2,847 in United Kingdom, there's a 221% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Saint Helena is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in United Kingdom beats Saint Helena across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Saint Helena or United Kingdom?
In Saint Helena, $1,500 covers most cities easily. In United Kingdom, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Saint Helena or United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after. Saint Helena wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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