Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bentota Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bentota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $787 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $900 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,014 in Bentota.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 188% more expensive than in Bentota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Bentota is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$4.52 LKR 1,487

288.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$12.32 LKR 4,049

423.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.83 LKR 2,572

48.79%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.50 LKR 823

30.40%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.69 LKR 227

260.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.27 LKR 89.4

518.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.27 LKR 745

52.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.08 LKR 1,013

16.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.64 LKR 540

-28.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.52 LKR 172

275.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.75 LKR 246

108.00%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.65 LKR 541

143.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$13.40 LKR 4,402

-0.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$3.30 LKR 1,083

155.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$4.49 LKR 1,477

306.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$6.70 LKR 2,202

-65.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.77 LKR 253

124.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$4.35 LKR 1,430

-55.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.95 LKR 311

177.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.04 LKR 342

82.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.75 LKR 246

181.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.94 LKR 309

53.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.46 LKR 150

73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$10.27 LKR 3,373

-31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$13.54 LKR 4,448

-56.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.98 LKR 650

-31.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.88 LKR 946

-25.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.19 LKR 63.1

1152.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.38 LKR 126

1002.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.29 LKR 94.1

279.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$0.93 LKR 304

1755.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.28 LKR 420

75.78%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

11.60%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$42.8K LKR 14.0M

-2.65%

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

$171 €147

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

206.95%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$2.32 LKR 764

719.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$9.22 LKR 3,029

271.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.35 LKR 1,428

132.18%

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

$699 €603

$37.48 LKR 12.3K

1765.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,214 LKR 398.8K

1364.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$20.27 LKR 6,660

416.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$16.62 LKR 5,460

188.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$79.8 LKR 26.2K

27.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$42.81 LKR 14.1K

199.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$541 LKR 177.7K

207.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$303 LKR 99.6K

305.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

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 Bentota: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $541 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $12.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $218 per month, with Bentota 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 Bentota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 188% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $1,181 in Bentota to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $541 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $787 in Bentota – a 188% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $787 in Bentota versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota 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 Bentota 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 Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.