Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kandy Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kandy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $516 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $736 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $956 in Kandy.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 339% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Kandy is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$2.75 LKR 904

538.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$12.92 LKR 4,246

399.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$5.98 LKR 1,964

94.82%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.99 LKR 654

63.82%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.51 LKR 167

388.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.26 LKR 85.5

542.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.86 LKR 612

86.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.85 LKR 937

25.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.16 LKR 383

1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.49 LKR 161

297.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.78 LKR 258

100.00%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.60 LKR 527

150.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$5.24 LKR 1,721

153.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.30 LKR 1,412

95.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$6.89 LKR 2,265

164.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.08 LKR 1,012

-24.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.89 LKR 292

94.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.72 LKR 564

12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.27 LKR 418

107.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.99 LKR 326

91.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.81 LKR 266

160.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.48 LKR 158

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.45 LKR 147

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$7.75 LKR 2,548

-9.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$11.53 LKR 3,788

-48.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.99 LKR 654

-31.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.04 LKR 669

5.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.16 LKR 53.3

1387.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$4.68 LKR 1,538

887.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.42 LKR 138

897.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.38 LKR 126

189.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$0.47 LKR 156

3572.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.12 LKR 368

100.89%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

143.62%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

10.89%

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

$171 €147

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

210.30%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$4.11 LKR 1,351

362.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$12.67 LKR 4,164

170.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$11.02 LKR 3,620

350.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$6.68 LKR 2,193

192.07%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$2.89 LKR 950

249.48%

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

$699 €603

$21.41 LKR 7,036

3165.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$305 LKR 100.3K

5721.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$20.30 LKR 6,671

415.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$10.30 LKR 3,386

365.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

48.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$26.80 LKR 8,805

378.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$174 LKR 57.0K

856.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$116 LKR 38.1K

957.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$177 LKR 58.2K

1545.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

1985.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$414 LKR 135.9K

1864.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$406 LKR 133.5K

1040.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$263 LKR 86.5K

514.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-68.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $174 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 515% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $13.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $167 per month, with Kandy 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 339% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 515% 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $174 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $516 in Kandy – a 339% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 888% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $516 in Kandy versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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 Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 339% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.