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: $458 in Galle versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $757 in Galle versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,056 in Galle versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Galle costs roughly 80% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Galle is 67% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 LKR 510

$17.55 €15.12

-91.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.95 LKR 7,871

$64.5 €55.6

-62.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 LKR 2,443

$11.65 €10.04

-36.22%

Cappuccino

$1.79 LKR 589

$3.26 €2.81

-45.09%

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 89.6

$1.67 €1.44

-83.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 LKR 397

$3.47 €2.99

-65.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 LKR 485

$3.58 €3.08

-58.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 514

$1.18 €1.02

32.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 176

$1.95 €1.68

-72.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 252

$1.56 €1.35

-50.64%

Eggs

$1.58 LKR 520

$4.01 €3.46

-60.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 LKR 4,334

$13.27 €11.44

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 LKR 1,627

$8.42 €7.26

-41.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 LKR 2,326

$18.23 €15.72

-61.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 LKR 2,200

$2.32 €2.00

188.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 238

$1.73 €1.49

-58.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 LKR 1,401

$1.93 €1.67

120.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 404

$2.64 €2.27

-53.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 335

$1.90 €1.64

-46.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$2.11 €1.82

-61.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 293

$1.44 €1.24

-38.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.80 €0.69

-38.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 LKR 3,457

$7.01 €6.04

50.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 LKR 3,058

$5.92 €5.11

57.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 622

$1.36 €1.18

38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 LKR 918

$2.15 €1.85

29.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 45.97

$2.38 €2.05

-94.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$4.19 €3.61

-92.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 103

$1.10 €0.95

-71.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 310

$17.26 €14.88

-94.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 438

$2.25 €1.94

-40.89%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

$34.5K €29.7K

-11.65%

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

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

$41.6K €35.9K

3.36%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

$171 €147

-67.43%

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

$4.05 LKR 1,331

$19.01 €16.38

-78.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.11 LKR 6,937

$34.28 €29.55

-38.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 LKR 1,466

$10.10 €8.71

-55.84%

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

$38.06 LKR 12.5K

$699 €603

-94.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,219 LKR 400.5K

$17.8K €15.3K

-93.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.01 LKR 6,576

$105 €90.2

-80.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.63 LKR 5,464

$47.97 €41.35

-65.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 LKR 25.9K

$102 €87.8

-22.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.01 LKR 14.1K

$128 €111

-66.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

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)

$318 LKR 104.5K

$1,619 €1,396

-80.36%

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 Galle: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 409% 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: $24.00 in Galle vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $281 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 395% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 409% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $38.06 in Galle versus $699 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 $24.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $458 in Galle versus $2,268 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 395% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.