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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $525 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $847 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,169 in Badulla.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 321% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Badulla is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$4.06 LKR 1,345

291.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$24.83 LKR 8,232

160.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.27 LKR 2,742

27.09%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.74 LKR 908

4.74%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.69 LKR 228

224.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.41 LKR 134

265.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.28 LKR 757

53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.31 LKR 1,096

17.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.68 LKR 558

-32.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.52 LKR 173

236.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.71 LKR 236

147.89%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.11 LKR 701

52.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$14.30 LKR 4,742

-5.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.94 LKR 1,305

100.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$8.20 LKR 2,718

93.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$7.67 LKR 2,542

-69.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.07 LKR 356

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$5.81 LKR 1,926

-65.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.19 LKR 396

106.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.15 LKR 382

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.40 LKR 464

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.20 LKR 399

60.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.61 LKR 201

29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$9.90 LKR 3,282

-33.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$13.04 LKR 4,325

-56.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.09 LKR 694

-34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.95 LKR 978

0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.38 LKR 126

1028.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.35 LKR 117

134.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$0.56 LKR 187

3167.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.25 LKR 413

64.80%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

28.36%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

14.07%

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

$148 €127

$59.5 LKR 19.7K

148.65%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$4.32 LKR 1,432

375.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$15.03 LKR 4,985

163.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$3.29 LKR 1,092

179.03%

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

$614 €528

$36.17 LKR 12.0K

1597.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$441 LKR 146.3K

3537.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$27.11 LKR 8,989

286.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$19.48 LKR 6,459

115.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$68.3 LKR 22.6K

37.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$38.27 LKR 12.7K

212.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$4,547 LKR 1.5M

71.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$760 LKR 251.8K

462.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$228 LKR 75.5K

603.89%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Badulla: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 604% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $255 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 321% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 604% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $36.17 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $525 in Badulla versus $2,210 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 321% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.