Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kataragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kataragama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $516 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $822 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,127 in Kataragama, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 349% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Kataragama is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$4.37 LKR 1,433

295.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$24.49 LKR 8,034

158.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$7.45 LKR 2,445

52.89%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.44 LKR 802

30.74%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.68 LKR 224

260.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.27 LKR 88.9

551.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.29 LKR 752

56.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.99 LKR 981

13.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.68 LKR 550

-26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.57 LKR 189

247.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.74 LKR 244

105.41%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.59 LKR 521

154.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$13.11 LKR 4,300

3.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.80 LKR 1,575

74.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$7.38 LKR 2,420

147.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$6.90 LKR 2,262

-66.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.83 LKR 274

109.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$4.25 LKR 1,394

-56.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.23 LKR 405

113.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.01 LKR 333

90.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.74 LKR 243

182.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.91 LKR 297

58.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.45 LKR 147

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$10.39 LKR 3,409

-34.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$13.48 LKR 4,422

-57.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.93 LKR 632

-28.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.76 LKR 904

-19.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.38 LKR 126

997.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.37 LKR 122

208.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$0.88 LKR 288

1909.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.28 LKR 419

81.25%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$29.9K LKR 9.8M

18.32%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$42.9K LKR 14.1M

-3.46%

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

$170 €147

$52.4 LKR 17.2K

225.18%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$4.31 LKR 1,413

348.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$20.72 LKR 6,798

62.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$4.53 LKR 1,486

118.98%

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

$717 €617

$38.35 LKR 12.6K

1770.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$1,224 LKR 401.6K

1327.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$19.98 LKR 6,554

424.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$16.92 LKR 5,550

177.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$80.3 LKR 26.3K

28.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$42.47 LKR 13.9K

191.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

12.69

-70.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $24.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $236 – making Kataragama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 349% more than Kataragama, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $775 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,316 in Lisbon and $516 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $717 per month in Lisbon and $38.35 in Kataragama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $516, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Kataragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $516 versus $2,316 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kataragama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.