Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $535 in Kandy versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Kandy versus $3,289 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,173 in Kandy versus $4,369 in Lisbon.

Living in Kandy costs roughly 76% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kandy is 60% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 924

$15.71 €13.81

-82.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.88 LKR 3,992

$62.9 €55.3

-81.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 LKR 2,138

$10.53 €9.26

-39.60%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 885

$2.88 €2.54

-8.68%

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

$0.60 LKR 201

$2.25 €1.98

-73.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 109

$1.56 €1.37

-79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 LKR 716

$3.39 €2.98

-37.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,134

$3.90 €3.43

-13.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 LKR 473

$1.08 €0.95

30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.73 €1.52

-69.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$1.76 €1.55

-51.14%

Eggs

$2.17 LKR 729

$3.16 €2.78

-31.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 LKR 2,894

$13.29 €11.68

-35.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 LKR 1,524

$7.87 €6.92

-42.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 LKR 2,680

$15.84 €13.92

-49.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 LKR 1,507

$2.40 €2.11

86.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 327

$1.70 €1.50

-42.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 LKR 1,266

$2.03 €1.78

85.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 405

$2.52 €2.21

-51.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 391

$1.86 €1.63

-37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 420

$2.06 €1.81

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 LKR 262

$2.00 €1.76

-61.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.78 €0.69

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.28 LKR 3,119

$6.65 €5.84

39.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 LKR 3,854

$5.78 €5.08

98.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 705

$1.38 €1.22

52.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 LKR 921

$3.02 €2.65

-9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 59.6

$2.33 €2.05

-92.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.28 LKR 5,136

$45.45 €39.96

-66.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$4.08 €3.58

-90.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.80 €0.70

-58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 LKR 146

$18.65 €16.39

-97.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 421

$2.00 €1.76

-37.50%

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

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

$35.4K €31.1K

-49.81%

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

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

$39.1K €34.3K

-44.56%

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

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

$150 €132

-72.97%

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

$4.37 LKR 1,470

$20.55 €18.07

-78.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.38 LKR 5,170

$39.45 €34.68

-61.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,970

$48.06 €42.25

-69.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.71 LKR 1,919

$18.70 €16.44

-69.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,150

$9.30 €8.18

-63.23%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

$628 €552

-94.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$324 LKR 108.9K

$16.5K €14.5K

-98.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.66 LKR 9,298

$102 €89.3

-72.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.38 LKR 4,833

$41.55 €36.52

-65.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

$92.5 €81.3

-39.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

$123 €108

-75.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 LKR 45.9K

$1,628 €1,431

-91.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

$1,233 €1,084

-93.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 LKR 73.6K

$3,126 €2,748

-92.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 LKR 54.2K

$2,058 €1,809

-92.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$392 LKR 131.9K

$7,762 €6,824

-94.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 LKR 134.2K

$4,386 €3,856

-90.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 LKR 87.6K

$1,621 €1,425

-83.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

293.70%

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

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Kandy and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 522% 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: $12.00 in Kandy vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $269 per month, with Kandy 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

Kandy vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 313% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 522% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $136 in Kandy versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $535 per month in Kandy versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 313% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 197% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $535 in Kandy versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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, Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 313% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.