Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gampaha Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gampaha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $459 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $774 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,088 in Gampaha.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 404% more expensive than in Gampaha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Gampaha is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$1.89 LKR 619

815.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$18.03 LKR 5,916

250.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$5.25 LKR 1,723

116.95%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.25 LKR 411

155.20%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.59 LKR 192

315.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.27 LKR 89.1

551.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.10 LKR 689

70.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.10 LKR 1,018

9.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.57 LKR 515

-21.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.45 LKR 147

340.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.74 LKR 244

105.41%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.58 LKR 519

155.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$13.04 LKR 4,279

3.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.05 LKR 1,329

107.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$7.34 LKR 2,407

148.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$6.19 LKR 2,032

-63.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.90 LKR 296

93.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$4.35 LKR 1,427

-57.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.24 LKR 408

112.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.02 LKR 336

88.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.75 LKR 246

178.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.29 LKR 94.1

396.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.32 LKR 106

162.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$9.67 LKR 3,173

-29.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$13.32 LKR 4,369

-57.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.36 LKR 446

1.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.46 LKR 807

-9.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.31 LKR 102

674.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.31 LKR 102

1245.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.36 LKR 118

216.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$0.88 LKR 288

1909.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.13 LKR 371

105.31%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

15.72%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

-3.59%

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

$170 €147

$27.91 LKR 9,158

510.28%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$3.10 LKR 1,016

523.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$10.96 LKR 3,596

206.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$7.43 LKR 2,438

547.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$4.44 LKR 1,455

123.42%

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

$717 €617

$15.53 LKR 5,094

4518.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$120 LKR 39.4K

14441.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$20.29 LKR 6,657

416.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$9.37 LKR 3,074

401.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$60.5 LKR 19.8K

71.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$24.25 LKR 7,955

411.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$90.2 LKR 29.6K

1759.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$55.6 LKR 18.2K

2186.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$307 LKR 100.7K

872.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$166 LKR 54.6K

1097.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$230 LKR 75.4K

588.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-62.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 589% 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 $18.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $219 per month, with Gampaha 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Gampaha differ by about 404% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $459 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 589% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $15.53 in Gampaha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $459 in Gampaha versus $2,316 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 404% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.