Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Badulla Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Badulla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $521 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $848 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,174 in Badulla.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 339% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Badulla is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$3.97 LKR 1,335

307.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$25.09 LKR 8,433

152.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$8.56 LKR 2,878

20.56%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.71 LKR 911

4.43%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.68 LKR 229

236.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.37 LKR 126

327.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.30 LKR 771

47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$3.43 LKR 1,153

17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.60 LKR 539

-31.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.56 LKR 189

212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.69 LKR 232

155.07%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.12 LKR 712

49.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$14.04 LKR 4,717

-6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.95 LKR 1,327

101.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$7.85 LKR 2,637

97.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$7.41 LKR 2,489

-68.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.08 LKR 361

58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$5.93 LKR 1,994

-66.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.21 LKR 405

100.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.16 LKR 390

51.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.42 LKR 477

42.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.19 LKR 399

61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.60 LKR 200

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$10.14 LKR 3,409

-35.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$12.66 LKR 4,253

-55.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.99 LKR 670

-33.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.98 LKR 1,000

-0.34%

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

$0.33 LKR 110

145.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$0.58 LKR 195

3079.31%

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

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

29.19%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$34.6K LKR 11.6M

13.07%

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

$148 €130

$60.5 LKR 20.3K

144.71%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$4.43 LKR 1,487

361.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$15.09 LKR 5,070

162.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$3.26 LKR 1,097

182.82%

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

$616 €540

$36.66 LKR 12.3K

1580.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$446 LKR 149.7K

3590.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$27.48 LKR 9,236

273.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$19.67 LKR 6,608

112.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$68.6 LKR 23.0K

38.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$38.59 LKR 13.0K

216.20%

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

$4,419 LKR 1.5M

77.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$739 LKR 248.3K

494.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$225 LKR 75.5K

615.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-68.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Badulla: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 615% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $251 per month, with Badulla 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

Lisbon vs Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 339% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 615% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $36.66 in Badulla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – 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 $521 in Badulla versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla 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, Lisbon and Badulla 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 Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 339% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.