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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $498 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $830 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,162 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 365% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Anuradhapura is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$4.45 LKR 1,460

288.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$24.30 LKR 7,973

160.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$7.71 LKR 2,530

47.73%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.41 LKR 790

32.37%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.75 LKR 244

226.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.25 LKR 81.1

604.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.28 LKR 748

57.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.97 LKR 975

14.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.68 LKR 551

-26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.57 LKR 188

247.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.80 LKR 263

90.00%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.63 LKR 535

147.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$13.09 LKR 4,295

3.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.98 LKR 1,634

68.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$7.29 LKR 2,391

150.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$6.93 LKR 2,272

-66.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.88 LKR 287

97.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$4.26 LKR 1,396

-56.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.25 LKR 410

110.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.01 LKR 331

90.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.80 LKR 263

161.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.90 LKR 294

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.45 LKR 147

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$10.54 LKR 3,458

-35.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$13.82 LKR 4,534

-58.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.92 LKR 629

-28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.77 LKR 909

-19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.42 LKR 137

892.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.35 LKR 114

225.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$0.89 LKR 293

1886.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.34 LKR 439

73.13%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

15.99%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-2.89%

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

$170 €147

$53.2 LKR 17.4K

220.47%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$4.28 LKR 1,405

351.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$20.72 LKR 6,796

62.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$4.49 LKR 1,473

120.94%

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

$717 €617

$38.75 LKR 12.7K

1751.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$1,201 LKR 394.1K

1354.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$20.20 LKR 6,627

418.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$16.92 LKR 5,553

177.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

30.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$43.16 LKR 14.2K

187.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

12.69

-70.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $24.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $238 – 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: $2,316 in Lisbon, $498 in Anuradhapura – roughly 365% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $747 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 $24.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $498, than in Lisbon at $2,316. 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 $498 in Anuradhapura to $2,316 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.