Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gampaha

For one person, living is cheaper in Gampaha: $453 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Gampaha
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Gampaha

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Gampaha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $453 in Gampaha.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Gampaha $453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $768 in Gampaha.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Gampaha $768

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $1,083 in Gampaha.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Gampaha $1,083

Living in Lisbon is roughly 386% more expensive than in Gampaha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Gampaha is 67% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$1.84 LKR 609
826.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$18.22 LKR 6,034
241.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$5.20 LKR 1,721
111.92%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$1.24 LKR 410
151.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.53 LKR 176
328.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.25 LKR 82.1
596.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$2.12 LKR 701
61.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$3.05 LKR 1,010
22.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.63 LKR 539
-28.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$0.41 LKR 135
353.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$0.73 LKR 241
110.96%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$1.65 LKR 548
146.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$13.91 LKR 4,607
-7.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$4.03 LKR 1,334
96.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$7.43 LKR 2,460
137.42%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$5.95 LKR 1,972
-62.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$0.82 LKR 270
113.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$4.51 LKR 1,493
-58.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$1.32 LKR 436
93.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$0.95 LKR 314
94.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$0.84 LKR 277
134.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$0.29 LKR 94.8
400.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$0.34 LKR 114
126.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$9.88 LKR 3,273
-32.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$13.04 LKR 4,319
-56.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.35 LKR 447
1.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$2.44 LKR 808
-13.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$0.29 LKR 95.2
700.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$0.29 LKR 95.0
1262.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.36 LKR 120
191.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$0.89 LKR 295
1826.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.17 LKR 388
87.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$30.6K LKR 10.1M
10.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$39.9K LKR 13.2M
-4.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$27.15 LKR 8,994
503.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$2.99 LKR 991
518.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$10.85 LKR 3,592
203.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$7.73 LKR 2,561
493.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$4.55 LKR 1,508
114.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$14.93 LKR 4,944
4481.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$121 LKR 40.1K
14468.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$18.28 LKR 6,054
467.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$9.02 LKR 2,987
412.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$59.9 LKR 19.8K
66.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$23.95 LKR 7,933
420.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$90.2 LKR 29.9K
1662.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$56.4 LKR 18.7K
1971.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$302 LKR 100.2K
842.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$163 LKR 54.0K
1122.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Gampaha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$231 LKR 76.4K
593.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
10
-61.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Gampaha
$56 95.2% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Gampaha
$221 19.1% $52
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Gampaha
$65 73.8% $183
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Gampaha
$41 81% $174
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Gampaha
$50 70.3% $118
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Gampaha
$17 74.2% $49
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Gampaha
$3.2 * 94.9% $60

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 594% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $221 per month, with Gampaha cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇱🇰 Gampaha
🕒 Local time
13:30 1:30 PM
18:00 6:00 PM
4 h 30 min ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
20,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Gampaha 9,440 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Gampaha

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Gampaha?
Lisbon and Gampaha differ by about 386% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $453 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Gampaha?
Average pay runs 594% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Gampaha?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Gampaha?
Childcare runs $684 in Lisbon versus $14.93 in Gampaha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $453 in Gampaha versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gampaha but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Gampaha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Gampaha?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Gampaha safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Gampaha are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Gampaha?
Expats usually find Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 386% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?