Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Anuradhapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Anuradhapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,167 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 362% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Anuradhapura is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$4.03 LKR 1,355

301.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$24.97 LKR 8,391

153.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$8.21 LKR 2,761

25.70%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.73 LKR 919

3.66%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.72 LKR 244

218.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.40 LKR 135

295.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.28 LKR 765

49.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$3.38 LKR 1,134

19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.71 LKR 573

-36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.55 LKR 185

218.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.80 LKR 270

120.00%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.23 LKR 750

42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$14.26 LKR 4,792

-7.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.72 LKR 1,587

68.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$8.28 LKR 2,782

87.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$7.61 LKR 2,556

-68.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.08 LKR 363

58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$5.69 LKR 1,912

-64.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.20 LKR 402

102.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.11 LKR 374

58.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.40 LKR 472

45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.16 LKR 389

65.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.56 LKR 188

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$9.92 LKR 3,333

-33.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$12.49 LKR 4,197

-55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.09 LKR 703

-36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.87 LKR 963

3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.39 LKR 130

984.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.36 LKR 120

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$0.61 LKR 206

2922.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.21 LKR 407

71.90%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

27.80%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

11.79%

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

$148 €130

$27.06 LKR 9,094

447.12%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$3.41 LKR 1,147

500.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$15.08 LKR 5,068

162.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$3.41 LKR 1,146

170.38%

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

$616 €540

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

1548.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$447 LKR 150.3K

3575.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$27.71 LKR 9,312

270.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$19.27 LKR 6,476

116.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

34.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

213.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.45

-76.84%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $258 – making Anuradhapura the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Anuradhapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon, $496 in Anuradhapura – roughly 362% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $744 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $25.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $496, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Anuradhapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $496 in Anuradhapura to $2,291 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Anuradhapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.