Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bandarawela Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bandarawela

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $575 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $929 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,283 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 285% more than Bandarawela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Bandarawela is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.96 LKR 1,315

301.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$25.10 LKR 8,323

158.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.29 LKR 2,748

26.78%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.62 LKR 869

9.54%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.74 LKR 246

202.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.40 LKR 134

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.28 LKR 758

53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.29 LKR 1,091

17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.76 LKR 584

-35.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.56 LKR 187

212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.88 LKR 292

100.00%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.15 LKR 712

49.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.85 LKR 4,591

-2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.70 LKR 1,558

68.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$8.11 LKR 2,689

95.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$7.53 LKR 2,497

-69.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.08 LKR 357

57.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$5.94 LKR 1,968

-66.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.22 LKR 404

101.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.15 LKR 380

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.40 LKR 465

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.19 LKR 395

62.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.60 LKR 200

31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$10.13 LKR 3,360

-34.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$12.70 LKR 4,210

-54.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.07 LKR 688

-33.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.86 LKR 948

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.16 LKR 54.0

1381.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$1.66 LKR 550

2644.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.41 LKR 136

946.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.35 LKR 117

134.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$0.48 LKR 158

3712.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.08 LKR 357

90.74%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

29.69%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

11.60%

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

$148 €127

$60.9 LKR 20.2K

142.81%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$4.41 LKR 1,464

365.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$15.27 LKR 5,063

159.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$4.96 LKR 1,644

864.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$3.28 LKR 1,088

179.88%

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

$614 €528

$36.34 LKR 12.0K

1589.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$446 LKR 147.9K

3497.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$27.15 LKR 9,001

285.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$19.33 LKR 6,410

117.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$69.1 LKR 22.9K

35.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$39.27 LKR 13.0K

204.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$99.0 LKR 32.8K

1544.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$51.2 LKR 17.0K

2352.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$135 LKR 44.9K

2139.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$66.3 LKR 22.0K

2946.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bandarawela: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $99.0 in Bandarawela. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $258 – making Bandarawela 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 Bandarawela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $575 in Bandarawela – roughly 285% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $862 in Bandarawela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandarawela, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $36.34 in Bandarawela. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing 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 Bandarawela, where all-in costs run around $575, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Bandarawela 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 $575 in Bandarawela to $2,210 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 Bandarawela. 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.