Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $499 in Galle versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $896 in Galle versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,294 in Galle versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Galle costs roughly 77% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Galle is 63% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 LKR 987

$15.91 €13.69

-81.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 LKR 8,338

$64.8 €55.7

-61.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 LKR 2,656

$10.51 €9.04

-23.79%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 866

$2.87 €2.47

-9.06%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$2.24 €1.93

-67.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$1.50 €1.29

-72.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 LKR 786

$3.49 €3.00

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 979

$3.88 €3.34

-23.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 563

$1.14 €0.98

49.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LKR 105

$1.75 €1.51

-81.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 269

$1.76 €1.51

-53.98%

Eggs

$1.91 LKR 635

$3.22 €2.77

-40.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 LKR 4,730

$13.49 €11.61

5.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,541

$7.91 €6.81

-41.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,704

$15.87 €13.65

-48.65%

Apples (1kg)

$7.40 LKR 2,455

$2.31 €1.99

220.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 292

$1.70 €1.46

-48.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,883

$2.01 €1.73

182.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 399

$2.46 €2.12

-51.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 365

$1.84 €1.59

-40.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 468

$2.00 €1.72

-29.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 377

$1.93 €1.66

-40.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 139

$0.79 €0.68

-46.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 LKR 3,360

$6.61 €5.68

53.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 LKR 2,939

$5.72 €4.92

54.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 675

$1.37 €1.17

48.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 938

$2.97 €2.56

-4.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 LKR 50.6

$2.37 €2.04

-93.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 115

$4.29 €3.69

-91.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.82 €0.70

-57.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 188

$18.30 €15.74

-96.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 402

$2.06 €1.78

-41.26%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$34.3K €29.5K

-21.90%

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

$34.9K LKR 11.6M

$39.3K €33.8K

-11.26%

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

$59.1 LKR 19.6K

$148 €127

-60.05%

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

$4.39 LKR 1,456

$20.52 €17.65

-78.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.26 LKR 4,398

$39.61 €34.08

-66.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,118

$9.18 €7.90

-63.29%

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

$36.67 LKR 12.2K

$614 €528

-94.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 147.8K

$16.0K €13.8K

-97.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.69 LKR 9,182

$105 €90.0

-73.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.46 LKR 6,452

$42.06 €36.18

-53.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 LKR 22.6K

$94.0 €80.8

-27.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.15 LKR 13.0K

$120 €103

-67.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 LKR 64.9K

$3,030 €2,607

-93.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 LKR 50.0K

$2,020 €1,738

-92.54%

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)

$306 LKR 101.5K

$1,603 €1,379

-80.90%

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 Galle: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 424% 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: $25.00 in Galle vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $269 per month, with Galle 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

Galle vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 343% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lisbon earns 424% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.67 in Galle versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Galle – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $499 in Galle versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Galle but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Galle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Galle 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, Galle 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 Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 343% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.