Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $525 in Badulla versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $847 in Badulla versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,169 in Badulla versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 76% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Badulla is 61% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 LKR 1,345

$15.91 €13.69

-74.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.83 LKR 8,232

$64.8 €55.7

-61.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 LKR 2,742

$10.51 €9.04

-21.31%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 908

$2.87 €2.47

-4.53%

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

$0.69 LKR 228

$2.24 €1.93

-69.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 134

$1.50 €1.29

-72.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 757

$3.49 €3.00

-34.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,096

$3.88 €3.34

-14.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 558

$1.14 €0.98

47.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.75 €1.51

-70.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 LKR 236

$1.76 €1.51

-59.66%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 701

$3.22 €2.77

-34.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.30 LKR 4,742

$13.49 €11.61

6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 LKR 1,305

$7.91 €6.81

-50.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 LKR 2,718

$15.87 €13.65

-48.33%

Apples (1kg)

$7.67 LKR 2,542

$2.31 €1.99

232.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 356

$1.70 €1.46

-37.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 LKR 1,926

$2.01 €1.73

189.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 396

$2.46 €2.12

-51.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.84 €1.59

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 464

$2.00 €1.72

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 399

$1.93 €1.66

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 201

$0.79 €0.68

-22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,282

$6.61 €5.68

49.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 LKR 4,325

$5.72 €4.92

127.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 694

$1.37 €1.17

52.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 978

$2.97 €2.56

-0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

$4.29 €3.69

-91.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.82 €0.70

-57.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 187

$18.30 €15.74

-96.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 413

$2.06 €1.78

-39.32%

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

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

$34.3K €29.5K

-22.10%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

$39.3K €33.8K

-12.34%

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

$59.5 LKR 19.7K

$148 €127

-59.78%

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

$4.32 LKR 1,432

$20.52 €17.65

-78.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.03 LKR 4,985

$39.61 €34.08

-62.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,092

$9.18 €7.90

-64.16%

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

$36.17 LKR 12.0K

$614 €528

-94.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.3K

$16.0K €13.8K

-97.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 8,989

$105 €90.0

-74.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.48 LKR 6,459

$42.06 €36.18

-53.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 LKR 22.6K

$94.0 €80.8

-27.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 LKR 12.7K

$120 €103

-68.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,547 LKR 1.5M

$7,800 €6,709

-41.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 LKR 251.8K

$4,273 €3,675

-82.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 LKR 75.5K

$1,603 €1,379

-85.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

214.96%

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

Last update for Badulla: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 604% 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: $25.00 in Badulla vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $269 per month, with Badulla 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

Badulla vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 321% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lisbon earns 604% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.17 in Badulla versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $525 in Badulla versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Badulla 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 Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 321% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.