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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $582 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,102 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,621 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 282% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Hikkaduwa is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$4.04 LKR 1,287

300.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$25.16 LKR 8,024

156.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$8.40 LKR 2,680

23.57%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.65 LKR 844

4.53%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.70 LKR 222

221.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.32 LKR 101

390.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.30 LKR 733

51.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.26 LKR 1,040

22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.67 LKR 533

-35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.55 LKR 177

216.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.81 LKR 257

114.81%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.20 LKR 702

44.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$13.96 LKR 4,453

-3.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.71 LKR 1,502

69.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$7.95 LKR 2,534

102.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$7.41 LKR 2,364

-69.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.32 LKR 101

437.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.76 LKR 880

-29.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.02 LKR 325

149.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.11 LKR 355

64.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.36 LKR 115

466.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.18 LKR 377

67.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.55 LKR 177

54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$10.19 LKR 3,249

-32.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$12.31 LKR 3,927

-53.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.10 LKR 670

-34.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.99 LKR 955

-3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.32 LKR 102

612.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.39 LKR 124

946.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.33 LKR 105

148.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$0.57 LKR 183

3105.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.26 LKR 401

59.52%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

34.17%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

12.66%

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

$145 €124

$59.4 LKR 18.9K

144.78%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$4.22 LKR 1,345

396.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$15.01 LKR 4,788

166.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$3.40 LKR 1,086

166.47%

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

$607 €519

$37.48 LKR 12.0K

1518.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$448 LKR 142.9K

3544.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$27.91 LKR 8,902

274.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$19.04 LKR 6,071

115.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$69.8 LKR 22.2K

34.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$38.27 LKR 12.2K

209.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$170 LKR 54.2K

842.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$82.5 LKR 26.3K

1397.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,663 LKR 530.2K

83.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$512 LKR 163.2K

301.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $170 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $235 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 282% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $874 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $170 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $582 in Hikkaduwa – a 282% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,227 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 282% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.