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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $649 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $859 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,069 in Bentota.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 253% more expensive than in Bentota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Bentota is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$4.13 LKR 1,388

292.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$13.23 LKR 4,446

378.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$8.42 LKR 2,829

22.57%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.60 LKR 875

8.85%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.74 LKR 249

209.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.38 LKR 127

315.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.30 LKR 772

47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$3.41 LKR 1,147

18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.70 LKR 570

-35.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.56 LKR 188

212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.80 LKR 269

120.00%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.12 LKR 713

49.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$14.10 LKR 4,738

-6.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$3.72 LKR 1,251

114.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$4.97 LKR 1,670

212.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$7.37 LKR 2,475

-67.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.83 LKR 278

106.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$5.62 LKR 1,888

-64.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.99 LKR 331

145.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.14 LKR 384

54.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.37 LKR 461

48.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.16 LKR 388

65.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.61 LKR 204

39.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$10.14 LKR 3,408

-35.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$12.74 LKR 4,280

-56.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.02 LKR 680

-34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.93 LKR 986

1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.22 LKR 74.4

936.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.38 LKR 129

1013.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.33 LKR 111

145.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$0.57 LKR 191

3135.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.20 LKR 403

73.33%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

27.10%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

12.38%

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

$148 €130

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

144.11%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$2.49 LKR 837

721.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$9.87 LKR 3,315

300.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$3.26 LKR 1,097

182.82%

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

$616 €539

$36.89 LKR 12.4K

1570.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$448 LKR 150.7K

3566.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$27.25 LKR 9,156

276.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$19.70 LKR 6,618

111.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$70.0 LKR 23.5K

35.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$38.31 LKR 12.9K

218.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$237 LKR 79.8K

587.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$151 LKR 50.6K

718.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bentota: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $237 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $13.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $239 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 253% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $973 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $237 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $649 in Bentota – a 253% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Bentota versus $2,291 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 253% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.