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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $499 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $803 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $1,106 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 355% more than Bandarawela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$1.34 LKR 439

1209.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$26.43 LKR 8,685

144.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.76 LKR 2,549

50.13%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.48 LKR 488

120.27%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.64 LKR 210

289.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.27 LKR 88.8

518.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.19 LKR 721

58.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.50 LKR 822

43.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.65 LKR 541

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.36 LKR 117

441.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.61 LKR 201

155.74%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.08 LKR 355

271.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$13.06 LKR 4,292

1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$3.60 LKR 1,182

133.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$7.30 LKR 2,399

149.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$6.74 LKR 2,215

-65.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.59 LKR 194

193.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$4.38 LKR 1,440

-55.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.23 LKR 405

114.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.89 LKR 293

113.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.57 LKR 187

270.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.88 LKR 290

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.48 LKR 159

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$9.65 LKR 3,172

-27.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$13.56 LKR 4,455

-56.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.95 LKR 642

-30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.89 LKR 950

-25.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.14 LKR 46.58

1600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$1.50 LKR 492

2981.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.39 LKR 127

974.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.29 LKR 94.8

279.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$0.48 LKR 156

3495.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.91 LKR 301

147.25%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

13.29%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-0.91%

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

$171 €147

$54.6 LKR 17.9K

212.97%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$3.39 LKR 1,114

460.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$6.03 LKR 1,982

468.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$6.20 LKR 2,036

700.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$4.58 LKR 1,506

325.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$2.50 LKR 822

304.00%

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

$699 €603

$37.96 LKR 12.5K

1741.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,236 LKR 406.3K

1337.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$19.90 LKR 6,538

425.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$16.75 LKR 5,505

186.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$80.5 LKR 26.5K

26.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$43.25 LKR 14.2K

196.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$89.7 LKR 29.5K

1751.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$45.92 LKR 15.1K

2574.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$124 LKR 40.9K

2244.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$59.8 LKR 19.6K

3284.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

12.69

-70.21%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Bandarawela: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $89.7 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $26.00 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $223 – 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: $2,268 in Lisbon, $499 in Bandarawela – roughly 355% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $748 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 $699 per month in Lisbon and $37.96 in Bandarawela. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $499, than in Lisbon at $2,268. 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 $499 in Bandarawela to $2,268 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.