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: $659 in Bentota versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $866 in Bentota versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,072 in Bentota versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 70% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bentota is 51% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 LKR 1,336

$15.91 €13.69

-74.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.50 LKR 4,476

$64.8 €55.7

-79.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 LKR 2,797

$10.51 €9.04

-19.79%

Cappuccino

$2.76 LKR 914

$2.87 €2.47

-3.83%

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

$0.74 LKR 245

$2.24 €1.93

-66.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 133

$1.50 €1.29

-73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 LKR 780

$3.49 €3.00

-32.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 LKR 1,093

$3.88 €3.34

-14.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 LKR 584

$1.14 €0.98

54.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 184

$1.75 €1.51

-68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 288

$1.76 €1.51

-50.57%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 738

$3.22 €2.77

-31.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.13 LKR 4,686

$13.49 €11.61

4.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 LKR 1,203

$7.91 €6.81

-54.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 LKR 1,680

$15.87 €13.65

-68.05%

Apples (1kg)

$7.51 LKR 2,489

$2.31 €1.99

225.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 291

$1.70 €1.46

-48.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 LKR 1,909

$2.01 €1.73

186.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 327

$2.46 €2.12

-59.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 379

$1.84 €1.59

-38.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 466

$2.00 €1.72

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.93 €1.66

-40.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 184

$0.79 €0.68

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 LKR 3,343

$6.61 €5.68

52.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.01 LKR 4,315

$5.72 €4.92

127.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 693

$1.37 €1.17

52.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 947

$2.97 €2.56

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 60.0

$2.37 €2.04

-92.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

$4.29 €3.69

-90.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$0.82 €0.70

-56.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 201

$18.30 €15.74

-96.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 396

$2.06 €1.78

-42.23%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.7M

$34.3K €29.5K

-23.09%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.3M

$39.3K €33.8K

-13.02%

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

$60.8 LKR 20.1K

$148 €127

-58.90%

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

$2.44 LKR 809

$20.52 €17.65

-88.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.19 LKR 3,378

$39.61 €34.08

-74.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$3.25 LKR 1,078

$9.18 €7.90

-64.60%

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

$36.43 LKR 12.1K

$614 €528

-94.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$438 LKR 145.3K

$16.0K €13.8K

-97.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.79 LKR 9,214

$105 €90.0

-73.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.68 LKR 6,525

$42.06 €36.18

-53.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 LKR 22.7K

$94.0 €80.8

-27.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.13 LKR 12.6K

$120 €103

-68.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 LKR 80.5K

$1,628 €1,400

-85.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 LKR 50.6K

$1,255 €1,080

-87.84%

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)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Bentota and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Bentota vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $269 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 235% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $988 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $243 in Bentota versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $659 per month in Bentota versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 235% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $659 in Bentota versus $2,210 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 235% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.