Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurunegala and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurunegala and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $475 in Kurunegala versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $770 in Kurunegala versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,065 in Kurunegala versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Kurunegala costs roughly 79% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kurunegala is 65% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 LKR 600

$17.59 €15.31

-89.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.28 LKR 8,690

$62.9 €54.7

-58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 LKR 1,470

$11.58 €10.08

-61.57%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 809

$3.10 €2.70

-20.97%

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

$0.48 LKR 159

$2.49 €2.17

-80.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$1.74 €1.52

-85.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 746

$3.48 €3.03

-35.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,000

$3.44 €3.00

-12.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 LKR 507

$1.15 €1.00

33.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 LKR 149

$1.91 €1.66

-76.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$1.50 €1.31

-49.33%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 547

$3.98 €3.47

-58.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 LKR 4,326

$13.29 €11.57

-1.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 LKR 1,710

$8.01 €6.97

-35.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 LKR 2,367

$18.04 €15.70

-60.31%

Apples (1kg)

$6.90 LKR 2,283

$2.35 €2.05

193.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 278

$1.75 €1.52

-52.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 LKR 1,457

$1.85 €1.61

138.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 406

$2.55 €2.22

-51.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$1.84 €1.60

-45.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 254

$2.10 €1.83

-63.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 LKR 297

$1.49 €1.29

-39.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 161

$0.82 €0.71

-40.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.51 LKR 3,474

$7.10 €6.18

48.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 LKR 4,505

$5.91 €5.14

130.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 LKR 651

$1.31 €1.14

50.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 LKR 962

$2.13 €1.86

36.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$4.08 €3.55

-90.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 104

$1.14 €0.99

-72.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 312

$17.09 €14.88

-94.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 LKR 361

$2.31 €2.01

-52.81%

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

$29.9K LKR 9.9M

$34.1K €29.7K

-12.42%

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

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

$41.4K €36.0K

4.23%

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

$55.2 LKR 18.2K

$169 €147

-67.26%

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

$4.24 LKR 1,403

$19.33 €16.83

-78.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.58 LKR 6,803

$33.51 €29.17

-38.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 LKR 1,437

$9.57 €8.33

-54.55%

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

$38.59 LKR 12.8K

$696 €606

-94.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 LKR 397.3K

$17.4K €15.1K

-93.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.18 LKR 6,672

$105 €91.7

-80.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 LKR 5,440

$47.75 €41.56

-65.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 LKR 26.9K

$101 €87.5

-19.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.70 LKR 14.1K

$124 €108

-65.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$151 LKR 49.9K

$1,632 €1,420

-90.76%

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 Kurunegala: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 982% 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: $26.00 in Kurunegala vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $277 per month, with Kurunegala 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

Kurunegala vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 384% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 982% 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 $38.59 in Kurunegala versus $696 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurunegala – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $475 in Kurunegala versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kurunegala but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kurunegala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kurunegala 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, Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 384% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.