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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $535 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,289 in Lisbon versus $854 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Lisbon versus $1,173 in Kandy.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 313% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Kandy is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.81

$2.75 LKR 924

471.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €55.3

$11.88 LKR 3,992

429.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 €9.26

$6.36 LKR 2,138

65.57%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.54

$2.63 LKR 885

9.51%

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

$2.25 €1.98

$0.60 LKR 201

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.37

$0.32 LKR 109

387.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.98

$2.13 LKR 716

59.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.43

$3.37 LKR 1,134

15.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$1.41 LKR 473

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.52

$0.52 LKR 173

232.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.55

$0.86 LKR 289

104.65%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.78

$2.17 LKR 729

45.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.68

$8.61 LKR 2,894

54.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 €6.92

$4.53 LKR 1,524

73.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 €13.92

$7.97 LKR 2,680

98.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.11

$4.48 LKR 1,507

-46.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.50

$0.97 LKR 327

75.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.77 LKR 1,266

-46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$1.21 LKR 405

108.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.16 LKR 391

60.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.25 LKR 420

64.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.76

$0.78 LKR 262

156.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.69

$0.56 LKR 188

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.84

$9.28 LKR 3,119

-28.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.08

$11.47 LKR 3,854

-49.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.22

$2.10 LKR 705

-34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.65

$2.74 LKR 921

10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.05

$0.18 LKR 59.6

1194.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.96

$15.28 LKR 5,136

197.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.58

$0.39 LKR 130

946.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.33 LKR 110

142.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.65 €16.39

$0.43 LKR 146

4237.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.25 LKR 421

60.00%

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

$35.4K €31.1K

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

99.25%

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

$39.1K €34.3K

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

80.36%

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

$150 €132

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

269.94%

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

$20.55 €18.07

$4.37 LKR 1,470

370.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 €34.68

$15.38 LKR 5,170

156.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €42.25

$14.79 LKR 4,970

224.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.44

$5.71 LKR 1,919

227.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.18

$3.42 LKR 1,150

171.93%

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

$628 €552

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

1622.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.5K

$324 LKR 108.9K

4977.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.3

$27.66 LKR 9,298

267.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 €36.52

$14.38 LKR 4,833

188.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €81.3

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

64.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €108

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

306.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,431

$136 LKR 45.9K

1092.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,084

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

1378.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,748

$219 LKR 73.6K

1327.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,809

$161 LKR 54.2K

1176.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,824

$392 LKR 131.9K

1878.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,856

$399 LKR 134.2K

998.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,425

$261 LKR 87.6K

522.23%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $136 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 522% 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 $208 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 313% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 522% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $136 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $535 in Kandy – a 313% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 197% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $535 in Kandy versus $2,210 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 313% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.