Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Bentota: $772 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bentota, Sri Lanka
Lisbon, Portugal
Bentota
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$772
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bentota and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bentota and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $772 in Bentota versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Bentota $772
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $888 in Bentota versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Bentota $888
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,005 in Bentota versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Bentota $1,005
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Bentota costs roughly 65% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bentota is 43% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.80 LKR 1,264
$16.65 €14.95
-77.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.01 LKR 3,992
$61.7 €55.5
-80.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 LKR 2,500
$11.36 €10.20
-33.80%
Cappuccino
$2.39 LKR 795
$2.97 €2.67
-19.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 LKR 241
$2.29 €2.06
-68.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 LKR 89.9
$1.74 €1.56
-84.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.24 LKR 744
$3.40 €3.06
-34.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 LKR 996
$3.31 €2.97
-9.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 LKR 539
$1.16 €1.04
39.66%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 LKR 176
$1.91 €1.72
-72.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 LKR 269
$1.51 €1.36
-46.36%
Eggs
$1.70 LKR 565
$4.02 €3.61
-57.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.71 LKR 4,559
$12.94 €11.62
5.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.31 LKR 1,100
$7.77 €6.98
-57.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.40 LKR 1,464
$17.76 €15.95
-75.23%
Apples (1kg)
$6.71 LKR 2,229
$2.30 €2.07
191.74%
Banana (1kg)
$0.74 LKR 247
$1.73 €1.56
-57.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.27 LKR 1,421
$1.86 €1.67
129.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.88 LKR 294
$2.59 €2.33
-66.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 LKR 347
$1.82 €1.64
-42.86%
Onion (1kg)
$0.79 LKR 262
$1.97 €1.77
-59.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 LKR 309
$1.47 €1.32
-36.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 LKR 153
$0.72 €0.65
-36.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.18 LKR 3,383
$6.58 €5.91
54.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.92 LKR 4,296
$5.61 €5.04
130.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 LKR 637
$1.36 €1.22
41.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 LKR 1,015
$2.14 €1.92
42.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.19 LKR 62.3
$2.33 €2.10
-91.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.14
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.37 LKR 124
$3.85 €3.46
-90.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 LKR 104
$1.07 €0.96
-71.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.94 LKR 313
$16.46 €14.79
-94.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 LKR 440
$2.20 €1.98
-40.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.2K LKR 14.7M
$34.2K €30.7K
29.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K LKR 13.7M
$38.7K €34.8K
6.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.9 LKR 19.3K
$161 €145
-64.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.30 LKR 764
$18.41 €16.54
-87.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.30 LKR 3,093
$32.74 €29.41
-71.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$44.55 €40.02
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.10 €17.16
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.65 LKR 1,546
$9.60 €8.62
-51.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$38.46 LKR 12.8K
$668 €600
-94.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,196 LKR 397.5K
$17.6K €15.8K
-93.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.92 LKR 5,959
$102 €91.6
-82.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.78 LKR 5,577
$44.46 €39.94
-62.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 LKR 26.2K
$98.5 €88.5
-19.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.02 LKR 14.0K
$124 €111
-66.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$553 LKR 184.0K
$1,608 €1,445
-65.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$300 LKR 99.8K
$1,190 €1,069
-74.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,812 €2,526
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,013 €1,808
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,839 €7,042
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,576 €4,110
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bentota
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,575 €1,415
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.69
3.85
229.61%

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

Last update for Bentota: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bentota
$300
Lisbon
$1.2K 297% $890
Groceries & Markets
Bentota
$217
Lisbon
$272 25.3% $55
Eating Out
Bentota
$103
Lisbon
$243 136% $140
Clothing & Footwear
Bentota
$70
Lisbon
$166 137% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bentota
$70
Lisbon
$212 206% $143
Sport & Entertainment
Bentota
$9.3 *
Lisbon
$64 585% $54
Getting Around
Bentota
$2.7 *
Lisbon
$63 2258% $61

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $553 in Bentota and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12 in Bentota vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $272 per month, with Bentota cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Bentota
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
03:33 3:33 AM
22:03 10:03 PM
5 h 30 min behind Bentota
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,000
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bentota Lisbon 9,490 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bentota
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Bentota cheaper than Lisbon?
Bentota is about 65% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,158 in Bentota and $3,315 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.
What is the rent difference between Bentota and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $553 in Bentota versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Bentota and in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Bentota and in Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $772 per month in Bentota versus $2,210 in Lisbon – Bentota is about 65% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Bentota or in Lisbon?
At $772 in Bentota versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 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.
Is it better to live in Bentota or in Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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