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: $548 in Badulla versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $876 in Badulla versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,204 in Badulla versus $4,405 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 60% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 LKR 1,435

$17.30 €14.89

-74.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 LKR 8,602

$63.3 €54.4

-58.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 LKR 2,481

$11.39 €9.80

-33.63%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 803

$3.19 €2.75

-23.20%

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

$0.69 LKR 226

$2.45 €2.10

-71.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 88.7

$1.76 €1.52

-84.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 LKR 716

$3.59 €3.09

-39.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 977

$3.39 €2.92

-12.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 516

$1.24 €1.06

26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$1.98 €1.71

-71.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 205

$1.52 €1.31

-59.21%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 524

$4.04 €3.48

-60.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 LKR 4,381

$13.54 €11.65

-1.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 LKR 1,209

$8.39 €7.22

-56.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 LKR 2,322

$18.25 €15.70

-61.21%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 LKR 2,197

$2.29 €1.97

192.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 270

$1.74 €1.50

-52.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 LKR 1,363

$1.86 €1.60

123.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 418

$2.63 €2.26

-51.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 345

$1.92 €1.65

-45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 259

$2.09 €1.80

-62.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 LKR 314

$1.44 €1.24

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 150

$0.84 €0.72

-45.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.42 LKR 3,419

$6.78 €5.83

53.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 LKR 4,440

$5.71 €4.91

136.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 LKR 650

$1.38 €1.18

43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 911

$2.22 €1.91

25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

$4.17 €3.59

-90.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 125

$1.14 €0.98

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 293

$17.68 €15.21

-94.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 425

$2.32 €2.00

-44.40%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

$35.3K €30.4K

-13.78%

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

$42.8K LKR 14.0M

$41.4K €35.7K

3.31%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

$170 €147

-67.47%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,331

$19.34 €16.64

-79.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.17 LKR 6,946

$33.64 €28.95

-37.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 LKR 1,436

$9.92 €8.54

-55.85%

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

$38.42 LKR 12.6K

$717 €617

-94.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,242 LKR 407.3K

$17.5K €15.0K

-92.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.33 LKR 6,670

$105 €90.2

-80.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.08 LKR 5,602

$46.95 €40.40

-63.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

$103 €89.0

-23.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.12 LKR 13.8K

$124 €107

-66.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 LKR 24.7K

$1,677 €1,443

-95.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$46.61 LKR 15.3K

$1,271 €1,094

-96.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.5 LKR 29.7K

$1,992 €1,715

-95.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,608 LKR 1.5M

$7,826 €6,734

-41.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$767 LKR 251.6K

$4,658 €4,008

-83.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$233 LKR 76.3K

$1,583 €1,362

-85.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

3.79

234.83%

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

Last update for Badulla: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.1 in Badulla and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 581% 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: $26.00 in Badulla vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $283 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 323% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 581% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $75.1 in Badulla versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.42 in Badulla versus $717 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 $26.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $548 in Badulla versus $2,316 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 323% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.