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: $500 in Galle versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $888 in Galle versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,277 in Galle versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Galle costs roughly 78% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Galle is 63% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 LKR 987

$16.19 €14.15

-81.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.32 LKR 8,508

$63.3 €55.3

-60.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 LKR 2,628

$10.32 €9.02

-24.22%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 920

$2.83 €2.47

-3.18%

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

$0.73 LKR 245

$2.29 €2.00

-68.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 126

$1.58 €1.38

-76.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 769

$3.40 €2.97

-32.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 1,002

$4.03 €3.52

-26.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 LKR 590

$1.09 €0.95

61.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.75 €1.53

-81.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 269

$1.76 €1.54

-54.55%

Eggs

$1.95 LKR 655

$3.17 €2.77

-38.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 LKR 4,786

$13.19 €11.53

8.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,612

$7.97 €6.96

-39.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 LKR 2,777

$15.53 €13.57

-46.75%

Apples (1kg)

$7.48 LKR 2,512

$2.37 €2.07

215.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 297

$1.71 €1.49

-48.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 LKR 1,978

$2.01 €1.75

193.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 417

$2.43 €2.12

-48.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.76 €1.54

-36.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 478

$2.03 €1.78

-30.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 383

$1.92 €1.68

-40.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 154

$0.85 €0.74

-45.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,440

$6.58 €5.75

55.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 LKR 3,085

$5.58 €4.87

64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 694

$1.33 €1.16

55.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 989

$2.97 €2.60

-1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.9

$2.28 €1.99

-92.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 105

$4.23 €3.69

-92.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.81 €0.71

-59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$18.44 €16.11

-96.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 405

$2.08 €1.82

-42.31%

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

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

$34.7K €30.3K

-22.32%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

$39.2K €34.2K

-10.09%

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

$59.2 LKR 19.9K

$148 €129

-60.00%

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

$4.43 LKR 1,489

$20.46 €17.88

-78.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.60 LKR 4,570

$39.56 €34.56

-65.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,155

$9.22 €8.06

-62.69%

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

$36.86 LKR 12.4K

$616 €538

-94.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 150.0K

$16.4K €14.4K

-97.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.44 LKR 9,218

$103 €89.7

-73.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 LKR 6,494

$41.74 €36.47

-53.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 LKR 23.6K

$94.8 €82.8

-25.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.50 LKR 12.9K

$122 €107

-68.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,426

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,077

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 LKR 64.4K

$3,098 €2,707

-93.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 LKR 51.0K

$2,031 €1,775

-92.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$306 LKR 102.7K

$1,607 €1,404

-80.97%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 426% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $267 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 358% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 426% 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 $36.86 in Galle versus $616 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $500 in Galle versus $2,291 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 358% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.