Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dambulla Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dambulla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $528 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,289 per month in Lisbon vs $866 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,369 per month in Lisbon vs $1,204 in Dambulla, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 318% more than Dambulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Dambulla is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.81

$3.95 LKR 1,328

297.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €55.3

$24.74 LKR 8,315

154.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 €9.26

$8.48 LKR 2,850

24.17%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.54

$2.62 LKR 881

9.92%

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

$2.25 €1.98

$0.68 LKR 230

230.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.37

$0.37 LKR 125

321.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.98

$2.38 LKR 801

42.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.43

$3.26 LKR 1,097

19.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$1.69 LKR 569

-36.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.52

$0.52 LKR 175

232.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.55

$0.87 LKR 292

102.30%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.78

$2.12 LKR 713

49.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.68

$13.90 LKR 4,673

-4.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 €6.92

$4.54 LKR 1,527

73.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 €13.92

$8.06 LKR 2,709

96.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.11

$7.43 LKR 2,497

-67.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.50

$1.11 LKR 374

53.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$5.66 LKR 1,904

-64.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$1.20 LKR 402

110.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.10 LKR 371

69.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.41 LKR 474

46.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.19 LKR 399

68.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.69

$0.55 LKR 186

41.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.84

$10.25 LKR 3,445

-35.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.08

$12.70 LKR 4,268

-54.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.22

$1.99 LKR 670

-30.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.65

$2.97 LKR 998

1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.05

$0.09 LKR 30.78

2488.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.58

$0.38 LKR 128

973.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.36 LKR 120

122.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.65 €16.39

$0.58 LKR 194

3115.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.21 LKR 405

65.29%

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

$35.4K €31.1K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

34.77%

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

$39.1K €34.3K

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

13.27%

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

$150 €132

$60.6 LKR 20.4K

147.72%

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

$20.55 €18.07

$4.23 LKR 1,422

385.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 €34.68

$15.24 LKR 5,122

158.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €42.25

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.44

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.18

$3.28 LKR 1,102

183.54%

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

$628 €552

$36.68 LKR 12.3K

1612.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.5K

$434 LKR 145.9K

3691.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.3

$27.45 LKR 9,227

269.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 €36.52

$19.61 LKR 6,593

111.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €81.3

$68.9 LKR 23.1K

34.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €108

$38.68 LKR 13.0K

217.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,431

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,084

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,748

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,809

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,824

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,856

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,425

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 21, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Dambulla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $254 – making Dambulla 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 Dambulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $528 in Dambulla – roughly 318% 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 $792 in Dambulla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $25.00 in Dambulla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 Dambulla, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Dambulla 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 $528 in Dambulla 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 Dambulla. 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.