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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $551 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $860 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,169 in Kandy.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 311% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Kandy is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.82

$2.82 LKR 950

465.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.9

$11.83 LKR 3,988

435.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €9.00

$6.58 LKR 2,216

57.75%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.42

$2.56 LKR 861

8.98%

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

$2.34 €2.03

$0.65 LKR 217

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.36

$0.33 LKR 110

375.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.97

$2.15 LKR 726

59.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.39

$3.43 LKR 1,154

13.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.40 LKR 472

-22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.53

$0.52 LKR 175

240.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.48

$0.85 LKR 287

101.18%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.73

$2.19 LKR 737

43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.86

$8.48 LKR 2,859

61.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$4.64 LKR 1,565

72.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.45

$8.15 LKR 2,746

90.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.99

$4.42 LKR 1,491

-48.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.02 LKR 345

60.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.68

$3.63 LKR 1,222

-46.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.18

$1.21 LKR 408

107.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.16 LKR 390

54.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.30 LKR 439

54.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.74 LKR 248

166.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.55 LKR 186

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.88

$9.30 LKR 3,134

-26.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.92

$11.32 LKR 3,815

-49.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.99 LKR 671

-30.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.61

$2.77 LKR 934

9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.17 LKR 58.1

1235.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.38

$14.86 LKR 5,009

205.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$0.39 LKR 130

1000.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.33 LKR 110

157.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.84

$0.44 LKR 148

4054.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.25 LKR 423

59.20%

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

$35.0K €30.4K

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

95.22%

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

$39.5K €34.3K

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

86.37%

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

$146 €127

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

258.11%

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

$20.45 €17.72

$4.26 LKR 1,437

380.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.78

$15.41 LKR 5,194

152.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.46

$14.86 LKR 5,006

229.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.32

$5.62 LKR 1,895

235.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.25

$3.33 LKR 1,122

185.89%

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

$608 €527

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

1521.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.3K

$328 LKR 110.5K

4934.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €90.0

$27.01 LKR 9,102

284.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.50

$14.32 LKR 4,826

194.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.9

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

62.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$29.20 LKR 9,841

311.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,405

$131 LKR 44.3K

1134.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,099

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

1422.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,642

$217 LKR 73.0K

1307.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,741

$160 LKR 53.8K

1159.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,641

$401 LKR 135.2K

1810.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,752

$394 LKR 132.8K

998.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,374

$260 LKR 87.6K

509.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-74.60%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kandy: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $131 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 510% 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 $12.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $207 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 311% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 510% more on average, 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $131 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $551 in Kandy – a 311% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 206% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $551 in Kandy versus $2,263 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 311% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.