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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $458 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $757 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,056 in Galle.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 395% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Galle is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$1.55 LKR 510

1032.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$23.95 LKR 7,871

169.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.43 LKR 2,443

56.80%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.79 LKR 589

82.12%

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 89.6

518.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.21 LKR 397

186.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$1.48 LKR 485

141.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.56 LKR 514

-24.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.54 LKR 176

261.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.77 LKR 252

102.60%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.58 LKR 520

153.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$13.19 LKR 4,334

0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.95 LKR 1,627

70.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$7.08 LKR 2,326

157.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$6.70 LKR 2,200

-65.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.72 LKR 238

140.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$4.26 LKR 1,401

-54.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.23 LKR 404

114.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.02 LKR 335

86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.81 LKR 267

160.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.89 LKR 293

61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.49 LKR 162

63.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$10.52 LKR 3,457

-33.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$9.31 LKR 3,058

-36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.89 LKR 622

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.79 LKR 918

-22.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.14 LKR 45.97

1600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.31 LKR 102

1251.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.31 LKR 103

254.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$0.94 LKR 310

1736.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.33 LKR 438

69.17%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

13.19%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

-3.25%

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

$171 €147

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

207.06%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$4.05 LKR 1,331

369.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$21.11 LKR 6,937

62.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.46 LKR 1,466

126.46%

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

$699 €603

$38.06 LKR 12.5K

1737.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,219 LKR 400.5K

1357.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$20.01 LKR 6,576

422.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$16.63 LKR 5,464

188.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$78.8 LKR 25.9K

29.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$43.01 LKR 14.1K

198.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

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

$318 LKR 104.5K

409.14%

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 Galle: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 409% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $24.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $225 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 395% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 409% 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 $699 in Lisbon versus $38.06 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 $24.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $458 in Galle versus $2,268 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 395% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.