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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $659 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $866 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,072 in Bentota.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 235% more expensive than Bentota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Bentota is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$4.03 LKR 1,344

294.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$13.50 LKR 4,502

379.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$8.43 LKR 2,813

24.67%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.76 LKR 920

3.99%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.74 LKR 247

202.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.40 LKR 134

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.35 LKR 785

48.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.30 LKR 1,099

17.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.76 LKR 587

-35.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.56 LKR 186

212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.87 LKR 290

102.30%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.22 LKR 742

45.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$14.13 LKR 4,714

-4.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.63 LKR 1,210

117.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$5.07 LKR 1,690

213.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$7.51 LKR 2,504

-69.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.88 LKR 293

93.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$5.76 LKR 1,920

-65.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.99 LKR 329

148.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.14 LKR 381

61.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.40 LKR 468

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.15 LKR 385

67.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.55 LKR 185

43.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$10.08 LKR 3,362

-34.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$13.01 LKR 4,340

-56.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.09 LKR 697

-34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.86 LKR 952

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.18 LKR 60.3

1216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.41 LKR 137

946.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.36 LKR 119

127.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$0.61 LKR 202

2900.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.19 LKR 398

73.11%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

30.02%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

14.97%

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

$148 €127

$60.8 LKR 20.3K

143.33%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$2.44 LKR 814

740.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$10.19 LKR 3,397

288.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$3.25 LKR 1,084

182.46%

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

$614 €529

$36.43 LKR 12.1K

1585.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$438 LKR 146.1K

3563.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$27.79 LKR 9,268

276.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$19.68 LKR 6,563

113.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$68.4 LKR 22.8K

37.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$38.13 LKR 12.7K

213.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$243 LKR 81.0K

570.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$153 LKR 50.9K

722.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

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 Bentota: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $243 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $13.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $242 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 235% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $988 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $243 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $659 in Bentota – a 235% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $659 in Bentota versus $2,210 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 235% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.