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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $587 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,120 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,653 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 285% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Hikkaduwa is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$3.93 LKR 1,311

305.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$24.89 LKR 8,302

154.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$8.56 LKR 2,855

21.26%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.64 LKR 879

5.68%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.72 LKR 242

225.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.34 LKR 114

361.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.31 LKR 769

48.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.31 LKR 1,103

18.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.75 LKR 582

-38.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.53 LKR 176

233.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.81 LKR 270

111.11%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.21 LKR 737

42.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$14.05 LKR 4,688

-2.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.56 LKR 1,522

75.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$7.92 LKR 2,641

95.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$7.50 LKR 2,501

-69.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.34 LKR 114

382.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.61 LKR 870

-25.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$0.98 LKR 327

156.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.11 LKR 371

61.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.36 LKR 120

458.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.15 LKR 385

71.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.56 LKR 188

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$9.94 LKR 3,314

-31.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$12.77 LKR 4,259

-55.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.02 LKR 674

-31.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.84 LKR 949

6.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.32 LKR 106

609.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.38 LKR 127

1028.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.33 LKR 109

157.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$0.61 LKR 204

2896.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.21 LKR 404

64.46%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$26.5K LKR 8.8M

32.13%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

12.25%

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

$146 €126

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

144.86%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$4.34 LKR 1,449

371.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$15.42 LKR 5,144

152.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$3.27 LKR 1,091

191.13%

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

$608 €524

$36.65 LKR 12.2K

1559.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$444 LKR 148.3K

3615.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$27.54 LKR 9,185

277.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$19.60 LKR 6,537

114.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$68.8 LKR 22.9K

34.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

205.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$167 LKR 55.8K

868.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$84.8 LKR 28.3K

1394.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,685 LKR 561.9K

80.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$509 LKR 169.7K

294.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $167 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 285% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $881 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $167 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $587 in Hikkaduwa – a 285% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $587 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,263 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 285% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.