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: $787 in Bentota versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $900 in Bentota versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,014 in Bentota versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 65% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bentota is 43% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 LKR 1,487

$17.55 €15.12

-74.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.32 LKR 4,049

$64.5 €55.6

-80.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 LKR 2,572

$11.65 €10.04

-32.79%

Cappuccino

$2.50 LKR 823

$3.26 €2.81

-23.31%

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

$0.69 LKR 227

$2.49 €2.15

-72.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.4

$1.67 €1.44

-83.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 745

$3.47 €2.99

-34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,013

$3.58 €3.08

-13.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 LKR 540

$1.18 €1.02

38.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$1.95 €1.68

-73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$1.56 €1.35

-51.92%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$4.01 €3.46

-58.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.40 LKR 4,402

$13.27 €11.44

0.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 LKR 1,083

$8.42 €7.26

-60.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 LKR 1,477

$18.23 €15.72

-75.37%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 LKR 2,202

$2.32 €2.00

188.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 253

$1.73 €1.49

-55.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,430

$1.93 €1.67

125.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 LKR 311

$2.64 €2.27

-64.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 342

$1.90 €1.64

-45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$2.11 €1.82

-64.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 309

$1.44 €1.24

-34.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 150

$0.80 €0.69

-42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 LKR 3,373

$7.01 €6.04

46.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 LKR 4,448

$5.92 €5.11

128.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 LKR 650

$1.36 €1.18

45.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 LKR 946

$2.15 €1.85

33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 63.1

$2.38 €2.05

-92.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

$4.19 €3.61

-90.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 94.1

$1.10 €0.95

-73.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 304

$17.26 €14.88

-94.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 420

$2.25 €1.94

-43.11%

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

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

$34.5K €29.7K

-10.39%

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

$42.8K LKR 14.0M

$41.6K €35.9K

2.72%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

$171 €147

-67.42%

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

$2.32 LKR 764

$19.01 €16.38

-87.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.22 LKR 3,029

$34.28 €29.55

-73.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 LKR 1,428

$10.10 €8.71

-56.93%

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

$37.48 LKR 12.3K

$699 €603

-94.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,214 LKR 398.8K

$17.8K €15.3K

-93.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.27 LKR 6,660

$105 €90.2

-80.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.62 LKR 5,460

$47.97 €41.35

-65.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 LKR 26.2K

$102 €87.8

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.81 LKR 14.1K

$128 €111

-66.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 LKR 177.7K

$1,661 €1,432

-67.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 LKR 99.6K

$1,228 €1,059

-75.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

3.78

235.71%

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

Last update for Bentota: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $541 in Bentota and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Bentota vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $281 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 188% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,181 in Bentota and $3,402 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: $541 in Bentota versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $787 per month in Bentota versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 188% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $787 in Bentota versus $2,268 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 188% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.