Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $649 in Bentota versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $859 in Bentota versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,069 in Bentota versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 72% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bentota is 51% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,388

$16.19 €14.15

-74.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.23 LKR 4,446

$63.3 €55.3

-79.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 LKR 2,829

$10.32 €9.02

-18.41%

Cappuccino

$2.60 LKR 875

$2.83 €2.47

-8.13%

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

$0.74 LKR 249

$2.29 €2.00

-67.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.58 €1.38

-75.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 772

$3.40 €2.97

-32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 LKR 1,147

$4.03 €3.52

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 570

$1.09 €0.95

55.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 188

$1.75 €1.53

-68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 269

$1.76 €1.54

-54.55%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 713

$3.17 €2.77

-33.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 LKR 4,738

$13.19 €11.53

6.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 LKR 1,251

$7.97 €6.96

-53.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 LKR 1,670

$15.53 €13.57

-68.00%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,475

$2.37 €2.07

210.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 278

$1.71 €1.49

-51.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 LKR 1,888

$2.01 €1.75

179.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 331

$2.43 €2.12

-59.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$1.76 €1.54

-35.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 461

$2.03 €1.78

-32.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$1.92 €1.68

-39.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 204

$0.85 €0.74

-28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 LKR 3,408

$6.58 €5.75

54.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 LKR 4,280

$5.58 €4.87

128.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 680

$1.33 €1.16

51.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 986

$2.97 €2.60

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 LKR 74.4

$2.28 €1.99

-90.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$4.23 €3.69

-91.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 111

$0.81 €0.71

-59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$18.44 €16.11

-96.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 403

$2.08 €1.82

-42.31%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

$34.7K €30.3K

-21.32%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

$39.2K €34.2K

-11.02%

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

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

$148 €129

-59.03%

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

$2.49 LKR 837

$20.46 €17.88

-87.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 LKR 3,315

$39.56 €34.56

-75.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$3.26 LKR 1,097

$9.22 €8.06

-64.64%

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

$36.89 LKR 12.4K

$616 €538

-94.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.7K

$16.4K €14.4K

-97.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.25 LKR 9,156

$103 €89.7

-73.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.70 LKR 6,618

$41.74 €36.47

-52.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 LKR 23.5K

$94.8 €82.8

-26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.31 LKR 12.9K

$122 €107

-68.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 LKR 79.8K

$1,633 €1,426

-85.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 LKR 50.6K

$1,232 €1,077

-87.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,707

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

3.81

331.76%

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

Last update for Bentota: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Bentota and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Bentota vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $267 per month, with Bentota 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

Bentota vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 253% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $973 in Bentota and $3,437 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $237 in Bentota versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $649 per month in Bentota versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 253% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Bentota versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota 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, Bentota 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 Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 253% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.