Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Saint Helier Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Saint Helier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,735 in Washington, DC versus $3,333 in Saint Helier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,928 in Washington, DC versus $5,458 in Saint Helier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,122 in Washington, DC versus $7,584 in Saint Helier.

Living in Washington, DC is roughly 12% more expensive than in Saint Helier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Washington, DC 180% above, Saint Helier 149% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.01 $28.01

$36.81 JEP 27.39

-23.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$135 JEP 100

-12.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$10.82 JEP 8.05

12.20%

Cappuccino

$5.97 $5.97

$5.04 JEP 3.75

18.45%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$3.25 JEP 2.42

-8.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.55 JEP 1.90

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$8.05 JEP 5.99

0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.81 $9.81

$8.16 JEP 6.07

20.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.26 JEP 1.68

-47.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.39 JEP 1.78

87.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.14 $7.14

$3.56 JEP 2.65

100.56%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$5.87 JEP 4.37

-27.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.96 $17.96

$9.28 JEP 6.90

93.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$11.59 JEP 8.62

31.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.20 $19.20

$19.44 JEP 14.46

-1.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$4.46 JEP 3.32

34.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.25 JEP 2.42

-37.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$4.32 JEP 3.21

19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 $6.36

$4.30 JEP 3.20

47.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.86 JEP 2.87

-10.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.94 JEP 2.93

-4.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.02 JEP 1.50

33.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.45 JEP 1.82

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$15.40 JEP 11.45

-19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 $15.82

$10.55 JEP 7.85

49.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$4.58 JEP 3.40

-38.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 $4.61

$7.60 JEP 5.65

-39.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.11 JEP 2.31

-9.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.4 $76.4

$68.3 JEP 50.8

11.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$6.02 JEP 4.48

-35.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.80 JEP 2.82

-35.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.52 $29.52

$33.75 JEP 25.11

-12.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.21 JEP 1.65

-59.28%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$22.4K JEP 16.7K

33.85%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$33.8K JEP 25.1K

-22.90%

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

$210 $210

$247 JEP 184

-14.95%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$25.30 JEP 18.82

138.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$76.4 JEP 56.8

-10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$69.7 JEP 51.9

59.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.83 $37.83

$24.72 JEP 18.39

53.03%

Cinema Ticket

$16.73 $16.73

$21.47 JEP 15.97

-22.08%

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

$2,739 $2,739

$2,208 JEP 1,643

24.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K $40.7K

$17.4K JEP 13.0K

133.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 $80.0

$108 JEP 80.3

-25.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.76 $49.76

$73.6 JEP 54.7

-32.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$129 JEP 96.1

-20.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$213 JEP 158

-31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 $2,577

$1,999 JEP 1,487

28.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 $2,077

$1,647 JEP 1,225

26.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,794 $5,794

$3,867 JEP 2,877

49.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,168 $4,168

$3,473 JEP 2,584

20.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,594 $8,594

$11.6K JEP 8,599

-25.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,318 $3,318

$10.3K JEP 7,643

-67.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,009 $7,009

$4,665 JEP 3,471

50.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

3.85

68.31%

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

Last update for Washington, DC: July 14, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,577 in Washington, DC and $1,999 in Saint Helier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 50% 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: $119 in Washington, DC vs $135 in Saint Helier. Groceries flip the comparison at $499 vs $425, with Saint Helier cheaper for home cooking.

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

Washington, DC vs Saint Helier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Helier is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Washington, DC, 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: $2,577 in Washington, DC versus $1,999 in Saint Helier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,739 in Washington, DC versus $2,208 in Saint Helier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Washington, DC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Saint Helier is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Saint Helier is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Washington, DC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Washington, DC and Saint Helier 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 Helier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Washington, DC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.