Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Galle Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Galle

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $500 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $888 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,277 in Galle.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 358% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Galle is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$2.94 LKR 987

450.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$25.32 LKR 8,508

150.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$7.82 LKR 2,628

31.97%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.74 LKR 920

3.28%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.73 LKR 245

213.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.37 LKR 126

327.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.29 LKR 769

48.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.98 LKR 1,002

35.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.76 LKR 590

-38.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.32 LKR 106

446.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.80 LKR 269

120.00%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.95 LKR 655

62.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$14.25 LKR 4,786

-7.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$4.80 LKR 1,612

66.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$8.27 LKR 2,777

87.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$7.48 LKR 2,512

-68.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.88 LKR 297

94.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$5.89 LKR 1,978

-65.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.24 LKR 417

95.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.11 LKR 374

58.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.42 LKR 478

42.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.14 LKR 383

68.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.46 LKR 154

84.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$10.24 LKR 3,440

-35.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$9.18 LKR 3,085

-39.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.07 LKR 694

-35.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.94 LKR 989

1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.16 LKR 53.9

1325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.31 LKR 105

1264.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.33 LKR 110

145.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$0.62 LKR 207

2874.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.20 LKR 405

73.33%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

28.73%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

11.23%

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

$148 €130

$59.2 LKR 19.9K

150.00%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$4.43 LKR 1,489

361.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$13.60 LKR 4,570

190.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$3.44 LKR 1,155

168.02%

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

$616 €539

$36.86 LKR 12.4K

1571.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$447 LKR 150.0K

3581.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$27.44 LKR 9,218

274.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$19.33 LKR 6,494

115.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$70.3 LKR 23.6K

34.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$38.50 LKR 12.9K

216.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$192 LKR 64.4K

1517.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$152 LKR 51.0K

1239.17%

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

$306 LKR 102.7K

425.58%

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 Galle: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 426% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $246 per month, with Galle 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 Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 358% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 426% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $36.86 in Galle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Galle – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $500 in Galle versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Galle but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Galle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Galle 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 Galle 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 Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 358% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.