Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hikkaduwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hikkaduwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $508 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $825 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,142 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 352% more expensive than in Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Hikkaduwa is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$4.31 LKR 1,426

308.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$25.74 LKR 8,522

144.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.54 LKR 2,497

53.58%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.48 LKR 822

25.00%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.72 LKR 240

245.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.27 LKR 89.4

544.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.24 LKR 742

55.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.97 LKR 982

15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.63 LKR 541

-29.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.52 LKR 173

267.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.80 LKR 266

87.50%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.59 LKR 526

150.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$13.41 LKR 4,441

-0.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.97 LKR 1,645

61.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$7.46 LKR 2,471

141.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$6.62 LKR 2,191

-64.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.89 LKR 296

96.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$4.30 LKR 1,424

-56.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.30 LKR 429

96.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.06 LKR 351

73.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.80 LKR 265

162.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.94 LKR 312

58.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.45 LKR 149

82.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$10.57 LKR 3,499

-32.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$13.99 LKR 4,631

-57.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.91 LKR 631

-31.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.81 LKR 929

-24.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.42 LKR 138

871.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.35 LKR 117

225.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$0.88 LKR 290

1842.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.33 LKR 440

73.68%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$30.9K LKR 10.2M

10.62%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$42.0K LKR 13.9M

-1.52%

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

$169 €147

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

202.82%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$4.26 LKR 1,411

353.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$21.20 LKR 7,019

58.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$4.39 LKR 1,455

118.00%

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

$696 €607

$37.44 LKR 12.4K

1758.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$1,215 LKR 402.2K

1328.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$20.48 LKR 6,782

414.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$16.57 LKR 5,488

188.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

25.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$43.00 LKR 14.2K

189.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

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 12, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $238 per month, with Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 352% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $762 in Hikkaduwa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $508 in Hikkaduwa – a 352% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $508 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 352% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.